West Africa’s Sahel nations to set up anti-Islamist units
N’DJAMENA (Reuters) – Defense ministers from West Africa’s arid Sahel region have agreed to work together to establish special rapid reaction forces to counter the growing threat from al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked militants.
EU needs to boost refugee funds to Turkey beyond current pledges: German EU Commissioner
BERLIN (Reuters) – The European Union may need to more than double financial aid already pledged to Turkey to help it keep millions of Syrian refugees on its soil, Germany’s European Union Commissioner Guenther Oettinger was quoted as saying on Saturda…
Brazil’s Lula detained in corruption probe; Rousseff objects
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was briefly detained for questioning on Friday in a federal investigation of a vast corruption scheme, fanning a political crisis that threatens to topple his successor…
Philippines seizes North Korean cargo ship to enforce U.N. sanctions
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines said on Saturday it had seized a North Korean freighter that was covered by harsher United Nations’ sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear program.
Australia’s Turnbull to be first PM to attend gay Mardi Gras
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Malcolm Turnbull risks a political backlash within Australia’s coalition government led by the conservative Liberal Party by attending Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday, the first sitting prime minister to do so.
Rising rents in Sydney matched by increase in homeless
SYDNEY (Reuters) – An informal “street count” by staff of City of Sydney council and volunteers has identified 486 homeless people sleeping rough in the inner city, the highest figure since the initiative was launched in 2010.
Turkish authorities seize newspaper close to cleric Gulen: state media
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish authorities seized control of the country’s largest newspaper on Friday in a widening crackdown against supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, an influential foe of President Tayyip Erdogan.
Russia’s Lavrov, Kerry call for prompt start to Syria talks
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in a late phone conversation on Friday called for a prompt start to the next round of Syria peace talks, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
China says defense spending pace to slow, to improve intelligence
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Saturday it will raise military spending by 7.6 percent this year, its lowest increase in six years, but vowed to protect its maritime rights amid disputes in the East and South China Seas and improve intelligence gath…
Australian abuse victims contest Vatican on lack of Pope meeting
ROME/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests said on Friday they were disappointed they were not granted a meeting with Pope Francis and contested the Vatican’s assertion they failed to make their request through the p…
