U.S. Vice President Biden chides Turkey over freedom of expression
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said during a trip to Turkey on Friday that intimidating the media, curtailing internet freedom and accusing academics of treason was not setting a good example in the Middle East.
Poland clouds NATO’s nuanced Russia plan
BRUSSELS/WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland is putting its own spin on a nuanced NATO plan to deter Moscow in eastern Europe without stationing permanent troops on Russia’s borders, prompting disquiet from allies including Britain, which needs Warsaw’s help in …
Five years on, unrest tests ‘Arab Spring’ model Tunisia
KASSERINE, Tunisia (Reuters) – On Dec. 17, 2010, a young, desperate Tunisian vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze in a suicide protest over unemployment and police abuse that spread revolt across the Arab world.
U.S.-led coalition needs to take back Mosul and Raqqa: Carter
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State needs to take back the cities Mosul and Raqqa and will use “boots on the ground” as part of its strategy in doing so, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday.
With days to go, rival camps bicker over teams for Syria peace talks
DAVOS/GENEVA (Reuters) – Syrian peace talks will go ahead in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry insisted on Thursday, but with just days to go, rival camps bickered about who should be invited to take part.
Islamic State claims responsibility for Cairo attack that killed nine
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility on Friday for a bomb attack that killed nine people in Cairo.
Texts, Internet, social networks are ‘gift of God’ if used wisely: Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, who has acknowledged being “a disaster” when it comes to technology, said on Friday that the Internet, social networks and text messages were “a gift of God” if used wisely.
Myanmar releases political prisoners before power transfer
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar began releasing the first of about 100 prisoners on Friday, many of them political detainees, days before a parliament dominated by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi’s party sits for the first time after an election win in …
China jails rights activist on spying charges as crackdown widens
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese court has jailed a well-known rights activist for 19 years on state security charges, including supplying intelligence abroad, as the leadership widens a crackdown on rights lawyers that has triggered international condemn…
India, France haggle over $9-billion warplane deal in run-up to Hollande visit
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian and French negotiators were haggling on Friday over the price of 36 combat planes for the aging Indian air force, officials of the two nations said, just days before President Francois Hollande visits New Delhi to cement co…
