U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan, Taliban grab district
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban fighters seized a district headquarters in Afghanistan’s Helmand province on Monday despite repeated U.S. air strikes to repel them, adding to the insurgents’ recent advances in a heavily fought over region …
Tsipras softens stand on Greek debt relief before election
ATHENS (Reuters) – Outgoing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras signaled on Wednesday he would accept an easing of Greece’s huge debt burden if he wins elections expected next month without any of the write-offs he has long demanded.
Ukraine, separatists to strive for full ceasefire from September 1
MINSK (Reuters) – Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists, in a gesture to shore up a tenuous ceasefire, agreed on Wednesday to strive for an end to all truce violations from next Tuesday, the OSCE and rebel representatives said.
Brazil court gives another 15 days for Rousseff to explain accounts
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s highest accounting court gave another 15 days for President Dilma Rousseff to respond to accusations she doctored the government accounts last year to hide the deterioration of the country’s finances.
Serbia may hold early elections, decision by end-September: PM Vucic
VIENNA (Reuters) – Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday there was a 50/50 chance his government would call an early election, but he declined to give his reasons.
Colombia rebel pleads guilty in U.S. to hostage taking
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A member of the Colombian FARC rebel group pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to hostage-taking charges stemming from the 2003 kidnappings of three U.S. citizens in Colombia, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.
Haiti drought cuts harvests, lifts prices, food crisis looms: WFP
BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A severe drought in Haiti has led to acute water shortages, shriveled harvests and raised food prices, weakening the fragile food supply and worsening hunger among the poor, the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said…
U.S. reports 20 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies conducted 20 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria on Tuesday, a U.S. military statement said.
Saudi military intercepts Scud missile fired by Yemeni forces
SANAA (Reuters) – Yemeni army units allied to the Houthi militia fired a ballistic missile toward southern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday but the Saudi military said it intercepted it and retaliated with air strikes on Yemeni territory.
Islamists kill at least seven in southern Somali attack
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Islamist al Shabaab militants killed at least seven people including a regional official and local police commander in an attack on a government convoy in southern Somalia on Wednesday, officials and the group said.
