Government and opposition far apart over Assad before Syria peace talks
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria’s government on Saturday ruled out any discussion of the fate of the presidency at peace talks this week, just as the lead opposition negotiator said a political transition could not even start unless Bashar al-Assad was no lon…
Brazil’s PMDB to decide on breaking with Rousseff in 30 days
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s main coalition partner served notice on Saturday that it could break from her embattled Workers’ Party government in 30 days and join opposition efforts to unseat the leftist leader.
Israel calls on powers to punish Iran for its missile tests
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called for world powers to take “immediate punitive steps” against Iran, following its ballistic missile tests last week.
President’s troops break siege of Yemen’s third city
CAIRO/ADEN (Reuters) – Forces loyal to Yemen’s president have broken a siege by the Iranian-allied Houthis around the strategic Yemeni city of Taiz, local fighters and residents said on Saturday, as the United States raised the possibility of a Syrian-…
Scotland’s SNP to start rebuilding independence campaign this summer
GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) – The Scottish National Party (SNP) will start building a new case for independence from the United Kingdom this summer, party leader and Scottish government head Nicola Sturgeon said on Saturday, without committing herself …
Portugal’s parliament could reject Turkey refugee aid, Greek loans – PM
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s divided parliament may refuse to approve Lisbon’s contribution to new bailout loans for Greece and a European Union aid package to help Turkey deal with the migrant crisis, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Saturday.
Social Democrat leaders press for EU drive on growth
PARIS (Reuters) – The leaders of France and Italy led European Social Democrats on Saturday in calling for a batch of EU initiatives to revive economic growth, create jobs and restore hope to Europe’s youth.
Gaza Hamas leaders seek ‘new era’ with Egypt after accusations
GAZA (Reuters) – Three senior leaders of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas traveled to Cairo on Saturday to try to repair relations with Egypt after years of tension.
German tourist industry hits ‘rocky road’ hiring new migrants
BERLIN (Reuters) – Burkhard Scholz, the manager of a four-star hotel on the wooded shore of a lake near Berlin, had 10 trainee jobs up for grabs last year. But he only found two people to fill them, one of whom was an asylum seeker from Afghanistan.
Former employee of French embassy arrested in Tehran
DUBAI (Reuters) – A former employee of the French embassy in Tehran has been arrested at the airport after arriving in Iran to visit her critically ill mother, the opposition website Kalemeh reported on Saturday.
