German SPD leader urges members to back coalition talks
BERLIN (Reuters) – The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) on Thursday asked party members to give the green light for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives to find a way out of the political impasse and leave all government option…
U.N. to assess if either side trying to ‘sabotage’ Syria talks
GENEVA (Reuters) – The mediator of U.N.-led Syrian peace talks in Geneva will assess next week whether either side is trying to sabotage the process, he said on Thursday, after President Bashar al-Assad’s negotiators said they would turn up five days l…
Saudi-backed fighters capture coastal area in Yemen from Houthis
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Western-backed Saudi-led coalition scored its first major gains in Yemen since former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed on Monday when local fighters captured an area on the Red Sea coast from Houthi rebels, residents said on …
Hamas calls for Palestinian uprising in response to Trump’s Jerusalem plan
JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) – The Islamist group Hamas urged Palestinians on Thursday to abandon peace efforts and launch a new uprising against Israel in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as its capital.
Tillerson holds tough line on Russia sanctions over Ukraine
VIENNA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held his tough line on Russia during a visit to Europe on Thursday, saying in front of his Russian counterpart that Washington would keep sanctions in place until Russian forces withdraw from Ukr…
Russian ex-minister Ulyukayev: I am victim of ‘monstrous set up’
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Former Russian economy minister Alexei Ulyukayev, accused of taking a $2 million bribe from Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin, told a court on Thursday he was the victim of “a monstrous and cruel provocation.”
UK electoral body says investigating Labour-backing campaign group Momentum
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Electoral Commission said on Thursday it was investigating campaign group Momentum – which backed the opposition Labour Party at a June election – over whether it breached campaign finance rules.
North Korea says U.S. threats make war unavoidable as China urges calm
SEOUL (Reuters) – Two American B-1B heavy bombers joined large-scale combat drills over South Korea on Thursday amid warnings from North Korea that the exercises and U.S. threats have made the outbreak of war “an established fact”.
Pro-Kurdish opposition leader goes on trial in Turkey on terror-related charges
ANKARA (Reuters) – The jailed leader of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition went on trial on Thursday, 13 months after his arrest on terrorism-related charges, facing up to 142 years in prison in a case closely watched by rights groups and Western governme…
Syrian govt delegation to return to Geneva on Sunday for peace talks: SANA
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s negotiating team is set to arrive in Geneva on Sunday to participate in peace talks, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported on Thursday, quoting a foreign ministry source.
