EU tries to breathe life back into U.N. Syria talks
SOFIA (Reuters) – The European Union on Thursday called for a swift restart of the stalled United Nations peace talks for Syria, worried by Russia’s efforts to tighten the grip on power of its ally, President Bashar al-Assad.
Ex-Greek PM sues Tsipras for slander over drug bribery case
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s former prime minister Antonis Samaras filed a lawsuit against Alexis Tsipras on Thursday, accusing the current head of government of slander and “a villainous plot” against him over a bribery case.
Ukraine parliament will adopt anti-corruption court law by May: speaker
KIEV (Reuters) – The Ukrainian parliament should adopt a law to create an anti-corruption court before May, its speaker told the head of an International Monetary Fund mission to Kiev on Thursday.
Egypt’s military says kills 53 militants in week-long offensive
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s military and police forces have killed a total of 53 Islamist militants and arrested 680 suspects in a week-long offensive to crush insurgents that is focused on the Sinai Peninsula, a military spokesman said on Thursday.
Ramaphosa elected president of South Africa, vows anti-corruption fight
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as South Africa’s president in a parliamentary vote on Thursday and pledged to tackle endemic corruption after scandal-ridden Jacob Zuma resigned on orders from the ruling African National Congress.
‘Ashamed’, Oxfam Haiti ex-director denies sex allegations
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The former Oxfam director at the heart of a sex abuse scandal said on Thursday he made mistakes when working in Haiti but denied paying for sex with prostitutes or abusing minors.
Tillerson says Hezbollah role is a threat to Lebanon
BEIRUT (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned Lebanon on Thursday that the Iran-backed Hezbollah group’s growing arsenal and involvement in regional conflicts threatened Lebanon’s security.
Ethiopia’s prime minister resigns to smooth path for political reform
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn suddenly resigned on Thursday in what he described as a bid to smooth reforms, following years of violent unrest that threatened the ruling party’s hold on Africa’s second most popu…
Turkey demands U.S. expel Kurdish militia from anti-Islamic State force
BRUSSELS/ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey said on Thursday it had demanded the United States expel a Kurdish militia from forces it backs in Syria, setting up the visiting U.S. secretary of state for tough talks on an issue that has strained ties between the …
Moscow says has evidence of Western meddling in Russian election
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Moscow has tangible evidence of “the destructive interference of some Western countries” in Russia’s domestic affairs ahead of a presidential election next month, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told a briefing on Thursday.
