Evacuated Islamic State fighters reach Syria’s Deir al-Zor, pro-Damascus commander says
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Buses carrying evacuated Islamic State fighters reached Syria’s Deir al-Zor on Wednesday in return for releasing a Hezbollah prisoner, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters.
Mauritius attorney general steps down amid money laundering probe
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) – The attorney general of the island nation of Mauritius stepped down on Wednesday after allegations he had helped launder gambling money.
U.N. chief, Security Council call on Myanmar to end violence
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar authorities to end violence against the majority-Buddhist country’s Rohingya Muslims that has forced some 400,000 people to flee…
Wife of ex-Uruguay President Mujica becomes vice president
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Lucia Topolansky, a Uruguay senator and wife of former President Jose Mujica, became vice president on Wednesday following the resignation of Raul Sendic last weekend over concerns of misuse of public funds.
Risks to Brazil’s Temer subside after bungled JBS plea bargain
BRASILIA (Reuters) – The arrest on Sunday of Joesley Batista, a billionaire meatpacker who implicated President Michel Temer in a corruption scandal, has actually improved the Brazilian leader’s prospects of surviving graft allegations and serving out …
Kurds will find it hard to implement independence, says Iraqi foreign minister
CAIRO (Reuters) – Iraqi Kurdish leaders must be prepared to face the consequences if they unilaterally declare independence and find implementation more difficult than they expected, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said on Wednesday.
Fearing Russia, Sweden holds biggest war games in 20 years
GOTHENBURG, Sweden (Reuters) – Neutral Sweden has launched its biggest war games in two decades with support from NATO countries, drilling 19,000 troops after years of spending cuts that have left the country fearful of Russia’s growing military streng…
Canadian teens tried to use Christmas lights for bomb: prosecutor
MONTREAL (Reuters) – A young Montreal couple tried to use Christmas lights and sandpaper to make a homemade bomb, a prosecutor told a Canadian court on Wednesday in opening statements in the terrorism trial of the former college students.
Canada stalls on Mali mission, could hit Security Council bid
ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland (Reuters) – Canada on Wednesday indicated it would again put off a decision on contributing troops to a U.N. peace operation in Mali, upsetting allies who said the new delay could undermine Canada’s effort to obtain a seat on t…
Colombia sees peace with ELN rebels harder than FARC
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Negotiating peace with Colombia’s largest active rebel group, the ELN, will be tougher than the recent successful talks with FARC guerrillas due to the ELN’s diffuse chain of command and radical ideology, the chief government negotia…
