White House concerned by Russia’s military moves in Syria
GENEVA/QAMISHLI, Syria (Reuters) – The United States said on Thursday it was concerned about reports that Russia is moving more military equipment into Syria to bolster President Bashar al-Assad, with a truce in tatters and peace talks in meltdown.
Kerry, Zarif to discuss U.S. sanctions relief for Iran on Friday: U.S.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. sanctions relief will be on the agenda when the Iranian and U.S. foreign ministers meet on Friday amid Tehran’s complaints it has been slow to benefit from last year’s Iran nuclear deal, the U.S. State Department said.
Colombia: guerrilla peace pact would make big dent in drug trade
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Thursday that successful peace deals with the country’s two largest guerrilla groups would make a big dent in the drug trade, boosting the country’s effort to replace illicit cro…
Exclusive: Egyptian police detained Italian student before his murder – sources
(Reuters) – An Italian student who was tortured and murdered in Egypt had been detained by police and then transferred to a compound run by Homeland Security the day he vanished, intelligence and police sources say. The claims contradict the official E…
Human traffickers stopped rescue after sinking disaster: survivors
ATHENS (Reuters) – A knife-wielding human trafficker prevented survivors of a shipwreck from pulling others to safety, leaving them to drown in the dark, one of the surviving migrants said on Thursday.
Venezuela announces daily, nationwide power cuts on drought
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela will begin cutting electricity supplies amid a prolonged drought that has limited power generation, the electricity minister said on Thursday, an unpopular measure for a population already struggling to obtain food and med…
U.S. prisoner in Bahrain says he has been freed via royal pardon
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. citizen who had been sentenced in Bahrain to 10 years in jail in 2013 has been granted a royal pardon and was freed on Thursday after paying a fine, he and his lawyer said.
South Sudan and rebels in weaponry wrangle over Machar’s return
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s government and rebels are wrangling over weaponry and therefore still at odds over the terms for allowing rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the capital, a government negotiator said on Thursday.
Mexico president proposes legalizing medical weed, raising legal dose
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday announced plans to legalize marijuana-based medicines, and proposed raising the amount of the drug that can be legally carried, in the wake of a national drug policy review.
Congo doctor Denis Mukwege named among TIME 100 most influential people
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Nobel-prize nominated Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege, who treats war rape victims, was named by TIME magazine on Thursday as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
