Somalia’s Puntland says gains ground in fight with Islamists
BOSASSO, Somalia (Reuters) – Security forces in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland killed more than 60 Islamist militants and regained some territory in a counter-offensive against al Shabaab, regional officials said.
Syrian government says has ‘useful’ talks on substance at U.N.
GENEVA (Reuters) – The head of the Syrian government delegation at peace talks in Geneva said he had a useful meeting with U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura on Friday, focusing on a government position paper on the “basic elements of a political solutio…
EU urges more countries to impose sanctions on Russia over Crimea
BRUSSELS/MOSCOW (Reuters) – The European Union called on Friday for more countries to impose sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula two years ago, but the Kremlin said Crimea was Russian land and its status non-negotiabl…
Three Iraqis jailed in Switzerland for aiding Islamic State
ZURICH (Reuters) – A Swiss court sentenced three Iraqis for terrorism offences on Friday, a verdict that the senior prosecutor said should send a message to jidhadists not to see the country as an easy target.
Israeli troops shoot dead a Palestinian wielding knife
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man who tried to stab them in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the military said.
Bomb kills policeman in southeast Turkey, embassies warn on security
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – A bomb attack by Kurdish militants killed a police officer in southeast Turkey on Friday and another device was defused outside a local government building, as embassies issued security warnings about expected demonstrati…
Obama to host summit with Nordic leaders in May: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama will host the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden in May for a U.S.-Nordic Leaders Summit, the White House said on Friday.
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.
