U.S. envoy makes first visit to Kurdish-held Syrian north
BEIRUT/ROME (Reuters) – A senior U.S. official has visited Kurdish-controlled northern Syria in what appeared to be the first declared trip to Syrian territory for several years by an official from U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration.
U.S. weighs options to speed Iraq’s fight to retake Mosul
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is willing to deploy Apache attack helicopters and advisers to help Iraq retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State as it considers options to speed up the campaign against the militant group, a top U.S. genera…
Saudi Arabia says 375 civilians killed on its border in Yemen war
RIYADH (Reuters) – Mortars and rockets fired at Saudi Arabian towns and villages have killed 375 civilians, including 63 children, since the start of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen in late March, Riyadh said on Monday.
Cologne steps up security for carnival after attacks at New Year
COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) – As Cologne gears up for its annual carnival, authorities said on Monday they would put more police on duty, light dark areas and use video surveillance to make people feel safe after assaults on women at New Year shocked th…
More than 3,500 Syrians flee to Turkey in four days as pro-Assad forces advance
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – More than 3,600 Turkmens and Arabs fleeing advancing pro-government Syrian forces in the north of Latakia province have crossed into Turkey over the past four days, Turkish disaster agency AFAD said on Monday.
German-Russian ties feel Cold War-style chill over rape case
BERLIN (Reuters) – Moscow’s intervention in an alleged rape case involving a German-Russian girl has heightened suspicions in Berlin that it is trying to stir up trouble, with a view to weakening Chancellor Angela Merkel.
U.N. rights boss urges Turkey to probe shooting by security forces
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations’ top human rights official urged Turkey on Monday to investigate the shooting of unarmed people 10 days ago in its largely Kurdish southeast and said any members of the security forces committing rights abuses shou…
Germany offers Afghanistan help to take back migrants
KABUL (Reuters) – German Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere promised Afghanistan financial help to help reintegrate returned migrants during a visit to Kabul on Monday overshadowed by the latest in a series of deadly suicide bomb attacks.
Snowden, Colombia, Greek islanders among Nobel Peace Prize tips
OSLO (Reuters) – Former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, peace negotiators in Colombia or Greek islanders helping Syrian refugees were among tips for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize at the deadline for nominations on Monday.
Israelis near Gaza fear Hamas is tunneling beneath them
PRI GAN, Israel/GAZA (Reuters) – Nissim Hakmon and his neighbors say they hear banging and clattering at night. They are convinced it can only mean one thing: Hamas is tunneling under their homes from Gaza and will one day emerge, guns blazing, to atta…
