With weaker mandate, Rutte must choose his compromises to form a government
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – After fending off nationalist Geert Wilders at Monday’s election, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte must patch together a stable coalition that reflects the rise of fringe parties that made huge gains on the left and right.
Exclusive: Syrian Kurdish YPG says Raqqa attack to start in early April
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The head of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia said a U.S.-backed assault to drive Islamic State from its de-facto capital Raqqa would begin at the start of April and the YPG would be taking part, despite fierce opposition from neighbori…
Twenty two people killed in mosque attack in Yemen’s Marib
DUBAI (Reuters) – Twenty two people were killed in an attack on a mosque during Friday prayers inside a military base in Yemen’s Marib province, local officials said.
Bulgaria’s PM says taking steps to prevent election meddling by Turkey
SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria’s caretaker prime minister said on Friday he was taking steps to prevent any attempts by Turkey to influence an election next week in favor of a political party that represents Bulgarian Turks, the country’s largest ethnic mi…
Fighting for ‘precious union’, UK’s May rebuffs Scottish independence ambitions
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Theresa May pledged on Friday to fight for the “precious, precious union” of the United Kingdom, unveiling what she called her Plan for Britain with a warning to Scotland not to pursue its independence plans.
Trump says North Korea ‘behaving very badly,’ China has done little to help
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday North Korea is “behaving very badly” and China has done little to help, hours after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said a U.S. policy of strategic patience with North Korea had ended.
France’s Fillon fights on as window closes for putting up alternative candidate
PARIS (Reuters) – Scandal-hit Francois Fillon is set to be confirmed as the conservative candidate in France’s presidential election on Friday as the window for putting an alternative name on the ballot paper closes.
Russian court to consider ban on ‘extremist’ Jehovah’s Witnesses HQ
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Supreme Court is to consider whether Jehovah’s Witnesses is an “extremist” organization after the justice ministry applied for an order to shut down the group’s national headquarters near St Petersburg.
In Duterte’s Davao, China’s vice premier prioritizes deals over disputes
MANILA (Reuters) – Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang met Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s in his home city on Friday, becoming the most high-profile visitor from Beijing since two countries long at odds sought to chart a new course in relations.
Syrian rebels say U.S.-led coalition attacks mosque, Pentagon denies it
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said on Friday that the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State attacked a mosque near Syria’s Aleppo, in a strike that a war monitor said killed dozens of people.
