Brazil’s congress sets up fund to cover lack of campaign finance
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s scandal-plagued political class voted on Wednesday to set up a 1.7 billion reais ($542 million) fund with taxpayer money to finance election campaigns, making up for a dearth of private funding ahead of next year’s general…
Chemical weapons watchdog found sarin used in March Syria attack: sources
AMSTERDAM/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – An inquiry by the global chemical weapons watchdog found sarin was used in a March attack in Syria on an opposition-held town, just days before the banned nerve agent killed dozens in a separate attack nearby, sourc…
U.S., Nigerien troops killed in ambush on patrol in Niger
DAKAR/BAMAKO (Reuters) – Five soldiers from Niger and three U.S. Army Special Forces troops were killed and two wounded in an ambush on a joint patrol in southwest Niger on Wednesday, according to Nigerien and U.S. officials.
Syrian opposition says Russian jets kill civilians fleeing across Euphrates
AMMAN (Reuters) – Military jets believed to be Russian killed at least 60 civilians trying to flee heavy fighting in the oil rich Deir al Zor province of Syria when their small boats were targeted as they sought to cross the Euphrates River, opposition…
Amnesty International urges halt to Afghan refugee returns
KABUL (Reuters) – The human rights group Amnesty International urged European nations on Thursday to stop sending Afghans who do not qualify for asylum back to their “deeply unsafe” home country, saying the policy risked causing serious harm to those a…
U.S. confirms attack on joint patrol in Niger, no word on U.S. casualties
DAKAR/BAMAKO (Reuters) – A joint patrol of U.S. and Niger troops came under attack in southwest Niger on Wednesday, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command confirmed after Radio France International (RFI) reported a lethal ambush near the Niger/Mali border…
Maverick state governor takes aim at Mexican presidency
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The first man in modern Mexican history to win a gubernatorial election as an independent said on Wednesday he aimed to run in the 2018 presidential election, putting pressure on the leading anti-establishment contender, Andres …
Russia-Trump campaign collusion an ‘open’ issue: Senate panel chiefs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Leaders of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee said on Wednesday the issue of whether President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia remains an open question as the panel intensifies its probe into the ma…
Niger soldiers killed in ambush near Mali border: officials
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Unknown assailants killed several Niger soldiers near the border with Mali on Wednesday, according to two Niger officials, during an ambush in which Radio France International (RFI) said U.S. soldiers were also killed.
Brazil’s Meirelles has hired media team ahead of 2018 election: sources
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles has hired social media experts to boost his image ahead of the 2018 election, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday, the strongest sign yet that the former banker is seriously eyeing a…
