Venezuelan protesters block embassy center in Madrid
MADRID (Reuters) – Dozens of protesters against Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolas Maduro massed outside a cultural center in Madrid on Thursday evening as the country’s ambassador to Spain, who was stuck inside, decried what he called a “kidnappi…
G7 finance chiefs in Italy try to gauge Trump’s policy plans
BARI, Italy (Reuters) – Finance chiefs from the G7 begin a two-day meeting in Italy on Friday, with Europe, Japan and Canada hoping to come away with a clearer picture of U.S. President Donald Trump’s direction on important policies that he has yet to …
Lula graft testimony fails to lift his Brazil presidential hopes
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s combative testimony before a federal judge this week did little to dismantle the graft case against him and improve his chances of securing a new term in office.
Canada names David Vigneault as head of spy agency
OTTAWA (Reuters) – David Vigneault, an advisor on security matters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, will take over as head of Canada’s spy agency next month following the current director’s previously announced retirement, the government sai…
U.S. airlines meet with Homeland Security on expanding laptop ban
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Homeland Security officials met with major U.S. airlines and a trade group on Thursday to discuss the impact of possibly expanding a ban on large electronic gadgets on planes to flights from some European airports, three sou…
Security situation in Afghanistan likely to get worse: U.S. intel chief
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The security situation in Afghanistan will further deteriorate even if there is a modest increase in U.S. military support for the war-torn country, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump’s…
Assad says de-escalation zones chance for rebels to ‘reconcile’
MINSK/BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that de-escalation zones proposed by his ally Russia were a chance for rebels to “reconcile” with Damascus and drive out Islamist militants, but vowed to fight on calling U.N.-led peace tal…
Germany’s Gabriel says agrees with Turkish PM on need to improve ties
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany and Turkey want to improve their ties, the German foreign minister said after meeting Turkey’s prime minister on Thursday, seeking to reverse a deterioration in relations over an increasingly authoritarian tone from Ankara.
Hezbollah says future war would be on Israeli territory
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese Hezbollah said on Thursday that any future conflict between the Shi’ite group and Israel could take place inside Israeli territory, as tensions rise between the arch foes.
With tunnel lifeline cut, pressure mounts on Syrian rebel enclave
BEIRUT (Reuters) – For nearly four years, food, fuel and medicine have traveled across frontlines into the besieged eastern suburbs of Damascus through a network of underground tunnels.
