washington

washington

Tillis says he'll support Trump's Fed chief pick

The Republican senator who had effectively blocked confirmation of President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve says he's dropping his opposition after the Department of Justice ended its investigation of the current central bank chair.

The announcement by Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina removes a big hurdle to Trump's effort to install Kevin Warsh in the job in place of Jerome Powell. At issue was an investigation by the top federal prosecutor in Washington of the Fed's multibillion-dollar building renovations.

Tillis had seen that as a "vindictive prosecution" and suggested it threatened the Fed's longtime independence from day-to-day politics.

philippines

Officials: 2 from the U.S. among 19 killed in clashes

Philippine officials say two Americans were among 19 suspected communist guerrillas, who were killed in clashes with Filipino troops in a central province a week ago.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict said Saturday night that the Americans were killed with 17 other New People's Army guerrillas in a series of clashes with troops April 19 in Toboso town in Negros Occidental province.

The task force warned Americans of Filipino descent in the United States to be wary of being lured by left-wing activist groups into supporting Filipino insurgents.

syria

Officials linked to ex-president go on public trial

Syria has opened its first public trial of officials linked to former President Bashar Assad.

Atef Najib, a former army brigadier general, appeared in court Sunday. He faces charges related to crimes against the Syrian people, according to state-run news agency SANA.

Najib was head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa in 2011 when teenagers were arrested and tortured for anti-government graffiti.

This incident sparked mass protests and a brutal crackdown, leading to a 14-year civil war.

colombia

Death count rises to 20 in bombing that targeted bus

Officials in Colombia say the number of people killed in a bombing in a volatile region has risen to 20.

The attack happened Saturday when an explosive device was detonated as a bus traveled along the Pan-American Highway in the municipality of Cajibio.

Authorities have said that the explosion injured 36 others, including five minors.

senegal

Defense minister killed in attack by jihadi, rebel forces

Malian Minister of Defense Gen. Sadio Camara has been killed in an attack as jihadi and rebel forces seized towns and military bases across the country.

Separatist fighters joined Islamic militants in one of the biggest coordinated attacks on the Malian army, leaving at least 16 wounded. Malian troops and Russian mercenaries withdrew from the northern city of Kidal after the attacks.

ireland

Improvised bomb placed in vehicle, sent to police post

Bombers have targeted a police station in Northern Ireland for the second time in less than a month.

That has led an official to condemn the attacks as an attempt to undermine the almost 30-year-old agreement that brought peace to the region.

Police say the latest incident took place at about 10:30 p.m. local time Saturday, when the attackers stopped a delivery driver, placed an improvised bomb in his vehicle and ordered him to drive to a police station on the outskirts of Belfast.

From wire reports