German conservatives reject ‘United States of Europe’ ahead of coalition talks
BERLIN (Reuters) – Senior members of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives on Saturday rejected the vision for a “United States of Europe” put forward by the Social Democrats (SPD), with whom they are hoping to form a governing coalition.
U.N. envoy told North Korea urgent need to open channels to cut conflict risk
SEOUL/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations political affairs chief told senior North Korean officials during a visit to Pyongyang this week that there was an “urgent need to prevent miscalculations and open channels to reduce the risks of conf…
U.N. says missiles fired at Saudi Arabia have ‘common origin’
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – United Nations officials have found that missiles fired at Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels appear to have a “common origin,” but they are still investigating U.S. and Saudi claims that Iran supplied them, according to a…
Peru’s Kuczynski acknowledges having advised Odebrecht project
LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski acknowledged that he worked as a financial adviser for an irrigation project owned by the Brazilian builder Odebrecht [ODBES.UL] on Saturday, contradicting his previous denials of having any lin…
Norway’s Liberal Party seeks to join government
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s Liberal Party will launch formal negotiations to join the right-wing cabinet of Prime Minister Erna Solberg, it said on Saturday, although the government would still be ruling in a minority even if the small centrist group is …
Palestinians to snub Pence during visit over Jerusalem move
CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during Pence’s visit to the region this month in a snub over the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Palestinian foreign minister…
Brazil’s PSDB picks Sao Paulo Gov. Alckmin to lead it into 2018 race
BRASILIA (Reuters) – The centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party, or PSDB, elected four-time Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin as its leader on Saturday, making him its most likely presidential nominee in next year’s elections.
Iraq declares final victory over Islamic State
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared final victory over Islamic State on Saturday after Iraqi forces drove its last remnants from the country, three years after the militant group captured about a third of Iraq’s territory.
Lebanon’s Hariri denounces Iraqi Shi’ite paramilitary’s visit to border
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The head of an Iran-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militia has visited Lebanon’s border with Israel accompanied by Hezbollah fighters, a video released on Saturday showed, in a show of Iranian influence that Lebanon’s prime minister called ill…
Aftershocks likely from September test detected from North Korea nuclear site: USGS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two minor tremors were detected on Saturday from near North Korea’s nuclear test site and were probably aftershocks from the country’s massive nuclear test in early September, a U.S. Geological Survey official said.
