Syrian army liberates ancient city of Palmyra

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

• The Syrian army has fully liberated the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra from Daesh terrorists following fierce fighting. The Syrian forces were backed by Russian airstrikes in the offensive. The ISIL seized Palmyra in May and destroyed two-thousand-year-old temples at the World Heritage Site.
• The death toll from the Daesh attack on Iraq’s Ain al-Asad Airbase rises to 28. Military sources have confirmed the death of 18 soldiers and all TEN assailants. There are no reports of foreign casualties. The base is located in the western province of Anbar.
• Saudi Arabia launches fresh airstrikes against Yemen a day after the first anniversary of its war on the impoverished Arab state. Saudi warplanes have pounded areas in Sana’a and Ta’izz provinces, killing one civilian. The year-long aggression has left nearly 94-hundred people dead and prompted a humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen.
• US drone attacks in Southern Yemen have left at least eight people dead. The attacks took place in the coastal province of Abyan. Military officials say the victims were suspected al-Qaeda terrorists. However, civilians have been the main victims of similar US attacks in several Muslim countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Pope Francis has lashed out at what he calls the rejection of the refugees by the countries which could offer them help. In his Easter message, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church lamented the inhospitable treatment of the refugees by Europe.
• Japan's major opposition parties have merged to counter Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling party in the upper house elections. The new Democratic Party came through the merge of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Innovation Party. The new party will have 156 lawmakers in both houses.
• Five defeated opposition candidates in Congo's presidential election have urged people to challenge the re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso through peaceful actions. They say the recent vote was marked by fraud. Nguesso has been in power for all but 5 of the last 37 years.
• US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wins nominating contests in the states of Washington and Alaska. The 74-year-old politician may need to win two-thirds of the remaining delegates in order to beat frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Sanders will probably face Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in November’s election.

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