Russia urges joint strikes on Syria rebels but U.S. reacts coolly
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has proposed to the U.S.-led coalition that they stage joint air strikes on Syrian rebels, including militant Islamist group Nusra Front, who are not observing a ceasefire, but the United States responded coolly on Friday.
Six killed in suspected Boko Haram raid on Niger village
NIAMEY (Reuters) – Six people were killed on Friday in a village in southern Niger in an attack thought to have been carried out by Boko Haram militants, the Defence Ministry said.
Tunisian Islamists Ennahda move to separate politics, religion
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s Islamist party Ennahda will separate its political and religious work, its chief said on Friday, moving away from its tradition of political Islam.
Hezbollah vows stronger presence in Syria after commander’s death
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah on Friday vowed to strengthen its presence in wartorn Syria and send more leaders to the conflict, a week after its top military commander there was killed.
Venezuela crisis puts influential military in spotlight
CARACAS (Reuters) – A teenage protester reads the constitution to Venezuelan soldiers blocking a march. Others scrawl slogans on riot shields. Some shout “thugs” and urge troops to think of their families after tear gas is fired to quell the crowd.
Libya’s Haftar says won’t work with unity government until militias disbanded
PARIS (Reuters) – It would be “unthinkable” for eastern Libyan forces to join a U.N.-backed unity government until militias aligned to it have been disbanded, General Khalifa Haftar, who heads up troops in the east, said in an interview broadcast on Fr…
Congolese activists jailed for incitement, U.N. ‘very worried’
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Three Congolese activists, arrested hours before a general strike in February to demand that President Joseph Kabila leave power when his mandate expires this year, were sentenced on Friday to one year in prison, the United Nations…
U.S. says no agreement on joint air strikes with Russia in Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – There is no agreement between the United States and Russia to conduct joint air strikes in Syria, the U.S. State Department said on Friday, adding that it looked to Russia to stop truce violations by the Syrian government.
Rousseff’s trial to run on during summer Olympics in Brazil
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil will welcome the world to the summer Olympics with suspended President Dilma Rousseff still on trial for breaking budget rules, government sources said on Friday, despite the interim government’s efforts to fast-track the pr…
Turkish parliament strips MPs of immunity in blow to Kurdish opposition
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament on Friday approved stripping its members of immunity from prosecution, a move likely to see the pro-Kurdish opposition sidelined, ease President Tayyip Erdogan’s path to stronger powers, and raise concern among We…
