Mexico’s own populist politician softens tone in bid for presidency
MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexico’s home-grown populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has tapped into wide discontent with the ruling party and resentment toward Donald Trump to make a bid for the center ground, raising his chances of winning the presidenc…
Suicide bombings kill 10, wound 33 in Mosul, Baghdad
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – At least 10 people were killed and 33 wounded on Friday, in a series of suicide bombings that hit Baghdad and parts of Mosul recently recaptured from Islamic State, medical and security sources said.
Syrian dissident says war ‘over’ as states cut aid to rebels
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A prominent Syrian dissident said on Friday he believed the country’s war was effectively over, as foreign governments have cut support to rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
Not now, Nicola: Scottish town sees no haste for new independence bid
LINLITHGOW, Scotland (Reuters) – Scottish independence supporters in West Lothian have some advice for their First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: bide your time on another referendum.
U.S. call for more NATO burden-sharing is ‘fair demand’: German Defense Minister
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said she had a positive meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and saw the U.S. call for NATO partners to increase their funding for the transatlantic alliance as “a fair deman…
‘We see you’ – Romanian activists become potent political force
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – On Feb. 1, hours after Romania’s government issued a decree seen as turning back the clock on the country’s fight against corruption, Florin Badita took unpaid leave from his job in the western city of Cluj and left for the capital Bucharest to help mobilize a response.
Italy seeks to unclog court bottleneck of asylum-seeker appeals
ROME (Reuters) – Italy on Friday adopted measures to accelerate the asylum process, easing pressure on shelters and speeding deportations of those whose appeals are rejected.
Hundreds of thousands rally in Iran against Trump, chant ‘Death to America’: TV
ANKARA (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday to swear allegiance to their clerical leaders and reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that he had put the Islamic Republic “on notice”, state TV reported.
Putin says could meet Trump in Slovenia, but choice not Moscow’s alone
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Slovenia would be a good place for a first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin said on Friday, but he said the choice of venue would not be Moscow’s alone.
Analysis: Trump’s hostility to help keep Iran’s Rouhani in office, but make his life harder
ANKARA (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s bellicose rhetoric towards Iran now appears likely to help keep President Hassan Rouhani in office for another term, but will make it harder for the Iranian leader’s team of moderates to govern.
