Trump to meet Pope Francis at Vatican on May 24: senior sources
ROME (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on May 24, senior sources said on Thursday.
Former warlord Hekmatyar calls for peace with Afghan Taliban
KABUL (Reuters) – Former Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar returned to Kabul on Thursday after two decades in hiding, calling for peace with Taliban insurgents and criticizing the Western-backed government, which he said was not working.
Venezuela protests rage, jailed Lopez supporters stage vigil
CARACAS (Reuters) – Supporters of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez held a vigil outside his prison demanding to see him on Thursday after rumors about his health rattled the protest-hit country where the death toll from anti-governmen…
South African court orders Zuma to provide reasons for firing Gordhan: eNCA TV
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s High Court on Thursday ordered President Jacob Zuma to provide reasons for his decision last month to fire finance minister Pravin Gordhan in a cabinet reshuffle that led to sovereign debt downgrades, eNCA televi…
U.N. envoy says Syria safe zones plan a step in right direction
ASTANA (Reuters) – U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura hailed on Thursday a plan for creating safe zones in Syria as a step in the right direction toward a real cessation of hostilities.
Finland holds public cabinet meeting to promote democracy
PORVOO, Finland (Reuters) – Finland’s government held its weekly cabinet meeting in front of the glare of a live audience for the first time on Thursday, part of celebrations for the Nordic country’s first hundred years of independence.
Croatian finance minister’s narrow vote win puts pressure on PM
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croatia’s Finance Minister Zdravko Maric survived a no-confidence vote on Thursday, but the razor-thin margin indicated conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic faces a tough fight averting a snap election after the ruling coali…
Communist East German minister, sentenced over border killings, dies
BERLIN (Reuters) – Former East German defense minister Heinz Kessler, sentenced to prison after the fall of the Berlin Wall for his role in the killing of people trying to flee the Communist state, has died at the age of 97, his publisher said on Thurs…
Colombian FARC dissidents take U.N. official hostage: U.N., army sources
BOGOTA (Reuters) – A member of a U.N. team working on a project in Colombia to substitute illegal crops with legal ones was kidnapped by dissident former FARC rebels who have rejected the peace process, the United Nations and the government said on Thu…
Let Social Democrats, ethnic Albanians form government: Macedonian parliament speaker
SKOPJE (Reuters) – Macedonia’s parliament speaker urged the country’s president on Thursday to recognize a new majority of Social Democrats and parties representing ethnic Albanians so they can form a government and end a volatile political stalemate.
