Germany says to keep soldiers in Baltics as long as needed
RUKLA, Lithuania/AMARI, Estonia (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Thursday criticized Russia’s military build-up on its borders with the Baltic states as irrational and said Germany would keep troops in the region for as long as nee…
At peace talks, Syria rebels urge Trump to correct Obama’s “catastrophic mistakes”
GENEVA (Reuters) – The lead Syrian opposition negotiator at peace talks in Geneva said he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would correct the “catastrophic” errors of his predecessor Barack Obama to become a reliable partner against “devilish” Iran.
Suspend visa-free EU travel for U.S. citizens, lawmakers say
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – United States citizens should be denied visa-free access to the European Union before summer because Washington does not allow some EU nationals to enter there without visa, EU lawmakers said in a vote on Thursday.
U.S. carries out strikes in Yemen targeting al Qaeda: U.S. officials
WASHINGTON/ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) – The United States has carried out air strikes in Yemen targeting al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, two U.S. officials said on Thursday, in what could be one of the first operations since a January raid by U.S. comman…
Merkel under fire for downplaying concerns about Egyptian rights
BERLIN (Reuters) – A Christian cleric on Thursday criticized Chancellor Angela Merkel for kowtowing to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and downplaying human rights concerns as she headed to north Africa to expand trade and investment ties.
Methane gas explosion kills eight miners in western Ukraine, 20 missing
KIEV (Reuters) – Eight miners were killed in a methane gas explosion in a coal mine in western Ukraine’s Lviv region on Thursday and 20 other workers were still unaccounted for, Ukrainian emergencies service said in an online statement.
Visegrad leaders call for bigger role for nations in EU
WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary urged the European Union on Thursday to boost the role of national parliaments under a planned overhaul of the bloc’s decision-making process.
Syrian army announces recapture of Palmyra from Islamic State
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army said on Thursday it had recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra from Islamic State for the second time in a year, with help from allied forces and Russian warplanes.
Marine Le Pen loses EU parliament immunity over tweets
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union lawmakers lifted the EU parliamentary immunity of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Thursday for tweeting pictures of Islamic State violence.
In final ruling, Egypt court finds Mubarak innocent in killing of protesters
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s top appeals court found former president Hosni Mubarak innocent on Thursday of involvement in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule, the final ruling in a landmark case.
