Slowly, Germany begins to ponder life after Merkel
BERLIN (Reuters) – She has not faced a credible challenge to her rule as German chancellor for more than 12 years. Now, members of Angela Merkel’s conservatives are starting to look ahead to potential alternatives to lead their party and country.
German election would further harm SPD, Schulz warns
BERLIN (Reuters) – The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats on Friday urged members of his center-left party to endorse coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives or risk facing new elections that could further damage the party.
Could Taliban finally return to Afghan peace talks? Obstacles abound
KABUL (Reuters) – Exploratory meetings in Pakistan between a high-level Taliban delegation and a representative of a prominent Afghan politician have fueled speculation of a revival of long-stalled talks on ending Afghanistan’s 16-year war that kills t…
Far from home, Mexican migrants eager to influence presidential race
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Tijuana native Alma Martinez will cast her first-ever vote for a Mexican president this July, but from across the country’s northern border, where she is among hundreds of thousands of co-nationals whose participation could be d…
1.3 million children displaced by Iraq’s war with Islamic State: UNICEF
GENEVA (Reuters) – About half the 2.6 million people displaced in Iraq after a three-year war with Islamic State militants are children and persisting violence hampers efforts to ease their suffering, the United Nations said on Friday.
Turkey shells Syria’s Afrin region, minister says operation has begun
SUGEDIGI, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish artillery fired into Syria’s Afrin region on Friday in what Ankara said was the start of a military campaign against the Kurdish-controlled area.
China says sunken Iranian tanker may now be leaking heavy oil
BEIJING (Reuters) – A sunken Iranian oil tanker may be leaking heavy bunker fuel as well as light oil off the east coast of China and the best remedy was to recover the vessel, officials said on Friday.
Saudi minister previously detained in corruption crackdown to head Davos delegation
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next week will be led by state minister Ibrahim al-Assaf, who was released from detention related to an anti-corruption purge in November, Saudi sources said.
Merkel and Macron look to turn warm ties into reform goals
PARIS (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron will spend more than five hours together in Paris on Friday, putting on a show of Franco-German unity as they try to agree on reforms to the euro zone.
France says no for now to Johnson’s idea of giant Channel bridge
LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) – France on Friday politely rejected Boris Johnson’s idea of building a giant bridge across the English Channel after Brexit, saying that, while far-fetched ideas were worth considering, there were plenty of major European projec…
