Putin says Russia has no option but to clear Aleppo of militants
KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had no other option but to clear out what he called “a nest of terrorists” from Syria’s Aleppo despite the fact that civilians were also present in the c…
Socialists to fight Rajoy’s policies in new Spanish government
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s Socialists will not allow incoming conservative leader Mariano Rajoy a free hand to govern despite allowing him a second term, one of their leaders told parliament on Thursday during a heated debate before a first confidence …
Russia’s Putin says attempts to get Syria deal with Obama thwarted
KRASNAYA POLYANA (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that his attempts to reach an agreement with U.S. President Barack Obama on ending the bloodshed in Syria had not worked out.
Violence flares in Turkey’s tense southeast after mayors’ arrest
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Five members of Turkey’s security forces and five Kurdish militants were killed on Thursday in clashes in the southeast where unrest has flared since the arrest this week of two popular mayors.
Russia says not responsible for strike on school in Syria’s Idlib
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign ministry said on Thursday Moscow is not responsible for an air strike on a school in Syria’s Idlib province that led to deaths of 26 civilians, most of them schoolchildren.
Yazidi women win EU Parliament’s Sakharov Prize
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Parliament awarded its Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought on Thursday to two Iraqi Yazidi women who were held as sex slaves by Islamic State militants and now campaign for human rights.
Turkey-Kurdish rivalry complicates push against Islamic State in Syria’s Raqqa
BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Fighting between Turkey and Kurdish militias in northern Syria is complicating plans to drive their mutual enemy Islamic State from its Syrian capital Raqqa, an operation U.S. officials have said may start within weeks.
Chilean president signals fresh cabinet reshuffle in November
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said in an interview published on Thursday that she is expecting further cabinet changes in November as some current members leave to run in 2017 elections.
EU hits more Syrian military, Assad officials with sanctions
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU governments put 10 more people under sanctions over the crisis in Syria, targeting high-ranking military officials and senior figures linked to President Bashar al-Assad, the bloc said in a statement on Thursday.
Pope Francis accepts church leaders’ invitation to visit South Sudan
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has accepted an invitation to visit South Sudan to preach peace in the country embroiled in inter-ethnic and political strife, religious leaders said after talks with the pontiff on Thursday.
