EU summit extended as Cameron closes in on British deal
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A European Union summit to negotiate new membership terms for Britain was forced into extra time on Friday as Prime Minister David Cameron closed in on a deal he could sell to sceptical British voters in a referendum.
U.S.-backed fighters capture Islamic State-held town in northeast Syria: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A U.S.-backed alliance of Syrian fighters including the Kurdish YPG militia captured an Islamic State-held town in Syria’s northeast on Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.
Saudi Arabia halts $3 billion package to Lebanese army, security aid
DUBAI (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia said on Friday it suspended a $3 billion aid package for the Lebanese army in what a official called a response to Beirut’s failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
Israeli forces shoot dead three Palestinian assailants
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli security forces shot dead three Palestinian assailants in separate incidents in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank on Friday, police and the military said, as a wave of heightened violence persisted into its fifth month….
South Sudan rivals talk peace while killing civilians: U.N.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – South Sudan’s warring government and opposition are killing, abducting, and displacing civilians and destroying property despite conciliatory rhetoric by both sides, the United Nations said on Friday.
Irish main opposition leader predicts stable government
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland has enough parties sharing the center ground to form a stable government after elections next week, the leader of the main opposition party said on Friday, rejecting any comparison with Spain’s election deadlock.
Brazil orders release of senator in corruption probe
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil Supreme Court Judge Teori Zavascki on Friday ordered the release of ruling party Senator Delcidio do Amaral, who has been jailed since November and faces charges of obstructing a massive corruption investigation, a court rep…
Kerry to meet Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman over weekend
LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Jordan’s King Abdullah over the weekend to discuss the situation in the Middle East, U.S. officials said on Friday as he flew into London en route to Amman.
Fridges and flour: Syrian refugees boost Turkish economy
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey’s 2.6 million Syrian refugees may be straining the housing and jobs systems, but they’re also fuelling economic growth.
Saudi minister says Syrian rebels should get surface-to-air missiles
BERLIN (Reuters) – Moderate Syrian rebels should be supplied with surface-to-air missiles to defend against air strikes, Germany weekly Der Spiegel quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir as saying.
