Syrian opposition says refugees will return home as soon as it’s safe
GENEVA (Reuters) – Millions of Syrian refugees just want to return home and will do so if peace talks in Geneva are successful and the fighting ends, a spokesman for the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said on Friday.
Zuma rebuffs suggestions of outside influence in South Africa minister’s sacking
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma fought back on Thursday against suggestions that a prominent business family might have been behind his abrupt sacking of a finance minister, a move which shook confidence in the country’s econom…
London’s Boris Johnson chided over ‘Garden Bridge’ design contract
LONDON (Reuters) – London Mayor Boris Johnson has denied unfairly favoring the winner of a contract to design a “garden bridge” over the Thames, an awkward controversy as he positions himself to potentially become the next prime minister.
Shi’ite cleric’s followers begin anti-corruption sit-in in Baghdad
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Supporters of Iraq’s powerful Shi’ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr began a sit-in outside the walls of Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone on Friday to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.
Dutch far-right leader Wilders on trial for hate speech
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Geert Wilders, the Dutch politician leading calls for a European Union ban on Muslim immigration, was back in court on Friday to answer charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against the Netherlands’ Moroccan minority.
EU leaders meet on Libya as migrant flows rise
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Europe’s major powers will discuss Libya in the margins of an EU summit on Friday, with leaders expected to focus on efforts to end the political chaos and conflict in the country and rising migrant flows.
U.S., allies target Islamic State with 20 strikes in Syria, Iraq: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies conducted 20 strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria on Thursday, the coalition leading the operations said.
Libya’s eastern government warns against imposing U.N.-backed cabinet
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Libya’s eastern government said on Friday that imposing a U.N.-backed cabinet on the country without a parliamentary vote of approval risked deepening the crisis.
Four dead in gun attacks in Turkish capital, no militants involved: reports
ANKARA (Reuters) – Four people were killed in two separate shootings in the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday, a city on edge since a suicide bombing last weekend, but militants were not involved in either incident, local newspapers and an official said…
Germany says embassy, schools in Turkey closed until weekend
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany will keep its diplomatic missions and German schools in Turkey closed until the weekend due to a highly credible security threat, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Friday.
