Indonesia to deploy 150,000 security personnel for year-end celebrations
CILANGKAP, Indonesia (Reuters) – Indonesia will deploy more than 150,000 security personnel and several religious organizations to safeguard churches and public places around the country during Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, the military ch…
Number of global migrants rises dramatically, especially in Asia: U.N.
NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The number of international migrants soared to 244 million this year, an increase of more than 40 percent from the year 2000, as economic need, global markets and a desire for better lives put more people on the …
U.N. council endorses Syria peace plan; no agreement on Assad’s fate
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously agreed a resolution endorsing an international roadmap for a Syria peace process, a rare show of unity among major powers on a conflict that has claimed more than a qu…
Back to reality for Merkel as Europe stalls on refugees
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Only two of the 11 refugee reception “hotpots” Europe hoped to get up and running this year are working. Less than one percent of the 160,000 migrants it agreed to relocate have been. And a recent drop in arrivals has more to do wi…
Exclusive: Iran to match stance with Russia in push for Syria deal
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Iran has decided to unify its stance with Russia’s in the push for a political deal to end Syria’s civil war, Iranian officials said, in a sign it could ease its opposition to the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad…
Yemen govt forces take northwestern city, U.N. concern at truce violations
DUBAI/GENEVA (Reuters) – Yemeni troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi gained control of an important northwestern city on Friday, residents and tribal sources said, as the U.N. scurried to salvage an increasingly fragile ceasefire.
U.N. envoy concerned at Yemen ceasefire violations, talks continue
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen voiced deep concern on Friday, the fourth day of peace talks, at “numerous reports of violations of the cessation of hostilities” and set up a mechanism to strengthen compliance, a U.N. stat…
Obama urges Turkey’s Erdogan to withdraw troops from Iraq: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama urged Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call on Friday to “deescalate tensions” with Iraq by continuing to withdraw Turkish forces from northern Iraq, the White House said in a statement.
U.S. studying Chinese complaint that B-52 flew near man-made island
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon said on Friday it was looking at Chinese complaints that a B-52 bomber recently flew near a Chinese artificial island in the South China Sea, a sensitive issue because the two powers disagree over Beijing’s territori…
Cuba’s Castro says U.S. can do more to normalize relations
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba is willing to keep improving relations with the United States even though Washington has failed to meet its key demands for normalization, Cuban President Raul Castro said on Friday, a day after the anniversary of detente.
