Canada minister urges new media laws to boost local content: paper
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s Liberal government is prepared to overhaul the country’s laws governing broadcasting, media and cultural industries to support local content, Heritage Minister Melanie Joly told the Globe and Mail in a report on Saturday, a…
Syrian opposition coordinator blasts U.N. Envoy, defends peace talks pause
GAZIANTEP, Turkey (Reuters) – Syrian opposition coordinator Riad Hijab defended his body’s decision to walk out of peace talks in Geneva and criticized U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura over the rise in violence, during a high level EU visit to the Turkish…
Iran says Islamic State hatching plots against it from Raqqa
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An Iranian minister said on Saturday that Islamic State has been hatching “plots and conspiracies” against Iran from its de facto capital Raqqa in Syria and has made several attempts to send “terrorist teams” into Iran.
Yemen peace talks continue as army fights al Qaeda
KUWAIT/ADEN (Reuters) – Yemen’s government forces battled al Qaeda in the country’s south on Saturday, aiming to push back advances the militant group has made during a year-long civil war for which peace talks are under way in Kuwait.
Turkish soldier killed, 15 wounded in attacks in southeast
DIYARBAKIR (Reuters) – A Turkish soldier was killed in an armed attack in Nusaybin in Turkey’s southeast and 12 policemen and three civilians were wounded in an ambush on a police vehicle, the armed forces and other security sources said on Saturday.
Kurdish, Syrian government forces declare truce in Qamishli area: statement
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Regional Kurdish security forces and pro-Syrian government forces have declared a ceasefire in northeastern Syria, the Kurdish side said, calming a three-day outbreak of violence which killed more than 26 people.
Syrian government strikes on two rebel-held areas kill 23: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian warplanes bombed the rebel-held town of Douma near Damascus and parts of Aleppo in the north on Saturday, killing 23 people, with the death toll likely to rise, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Merkel, Obama say EU-U.S. free trade deal would benefit both sides
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday they favored sealing a U.S.-European free trade agreement as it would fuel growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
Italy judge’s warning on political corruption triggers furor
ROME (Reuters) – A warning by one of Italy’s most prominent judges over what he said were unprecedented levels of corruption among politicians has angered Matteo Renzi’s government and unleashed a political storm over the role of the judiciary.
Let’s not overreact to Panama Papers, many EU finmins warn
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A European Commission plan to publicly reveal tax and financial data of large companies raised concerns among many European Union finance ministers who on Saturday advised caution after the Panama Paper leaks.
