Germany speeds up new measures to deal with refugee influx
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany is introducing measures to tackle its refugee crisis earlier than previously expected, a top government official said on Friday, allowing accelerated deportation procedures to begin as early as next week.
India welcomes Pakistan pledge to fight militants, but still talks tough
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India on Friday welcomed a joint pledge by the United States and Pakistan to fight militant groups it suspects of attacking Indian targets, but ruled out any third-party mediation to end a long-running dispute over Kashmir.
Portugal parliament elects Socialist speaker with support of left
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s parliament elected on Friday a Socialist speaker of the house, as leftist parties used their majority in the new parliament to block the incoming center-right government’s candidate.
Worried Slovenia might build fence to cope with migrant crisis
LJUBLJANA/DOBOVA, Slovenia (Reuters) – Slovenia said it will consider all options, including fencing off its border with Croatia, if European leaders fail to agree a common approach to the migrant crisis as thousands stream into the ex-Yugoslav republi…
Indonesia literary festival cancels panels on 1965 purge
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Organizers of Indonesia’s biggest annual literary festival said on Friday they had been forced to cancel several events centered on the mass killings of alleged communists in the mid-1960s, after authorities threatened to revoke the…
Protester disrupts Pakistan prime minister’s speech in Washington
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A protester disrupted a speech by Pakistan’s President Nawaz Sharif at a Washington think tank on Friday, shouting slogans in support of freedom for the Pakistani province of Baluchistan.
Ex-general’s new role strengthens Pakistani army’s hand in talks
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan has appointed a newly retired general as national security advisor, strengthening the powerful military’s role in security policy, talks with archrival India and relations with neighbor Afghanistan, an official said on Fr…
Plenty of diplomacy but slim hope for new Middle East peace push
JERUSALEM/VIENNA (Reuters) – Flare-ups in violence between Israel and the Palestinians have often accelerated peace efforts – the first intifada led into the Oslo accords of the mid-1990s and the second gave rise to the Arab and Geneva peace initiative…
Chinese dissidents accuse UK of ‘shameful’ clampdown on Xi protests
LONDON (Reuters) – Prominent Chinese dissidents accused British police on Friday of being heavy-handed after an exiled Chinese democracy activist and two Tibetan women were arrested at a protest during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Britain.
Colombians pin hopes on new agency seeking missing war victims
BOGOTA (Reuters) – A new agency tasked with finding tens of thousands of Colombians who have disappeared over 51 years of war is a ray of hope for families, but will need political power and plenty of resources to be successful, advocacy groups say.
