CNN

Vice President Joe Biden reassured Iraq's government on May 25 of US support in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), telephoning Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi with thanks for "the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces" one day after Defense Secretary Ash Carter questioned the Iraqi military commitment.
     

Qasem Soleimani stated that the US “did nothing” to help the Iraqi army in the battle against jihadists in Ramadi.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group?s takeover of the Iraqi city of Ramadi shows that Iraqi forces do not have the ?will to fight,? the U.S. defense secretary says, which is the harshest assessment yet from a high-ranking Obama administration official about Iraqi fighters.

A report that a hunter from Texas paid 350,000 USD to kill a threatened black rhino during a hunt in Namibia has caused an uproar with animal rights groups and environmental-savvy people everywhere. Corey Knowlton has received severe criticism, including life threats, but said that the hunt was part of the preservation plan of the black rhino.

Two South Koreans awaiting trial in North Korea on espionage charges have admitted to spying for Seoul in interviews with CNN in Pyongyang conducted in the presence of North Korean minders.
 

Numerous protesters were arrested for defying a curfew in Baltimore May 1 night, hours after six police were charged over the death of an African-American man who was in their custody.
  
The protesters struck a defiant chord with police, even after the six officers were charged earlier in the day over the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.
  

Close to 4,000 people are known to have died in Nepal and neighbouring, India and China as a result of Saturday's earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, the CNN has reported.

By nightfall on Monday in Nepal's capital Katmandu more than 7,000 people were known to have been injured.

Economic losses following the Nepal earthquake could reach USD 5 B, as reported by the CNN.

Analysts have made the estimation and have been quoted as saying it will represent close to 209% of the gross domestic product of the country.

The FBI is carrying out an investigation on a potential plan to carry out a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, according to the CNN.

An FBI source told the US news-agency that the target of the terrorists was LAX, Los Angeles’ international airport.

US President Barack Obama has said the White House believes a US counterterrorism operation against Al-Qaeda "accidentally killed" two hostages, an American and an Italian.

The American was Dr Warren Weinstein, held by militans since 2011, while Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian, was taken hostage in 2012.