Australia PM scraps knighthood honors, shows republican colors
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s pro-republic Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday scrapped knights and dames from the nation’s honors system, less than a year after a furor sparked by the award of a knighthood to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s hu…
Pope Francis to visit Mexico next February: reports
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis will visit Mexico next year for eight days from Feb. 12, Mexican Cardinal Norberto Rivera said on Sunday, according to local media reports.
British finance minister visits Germany to sell EU-reform push
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s finance minister travels to Germany on Monday to call for a strong EU working for the “benefit of all 28 member states”, part of the government’s push to change the terms of its relationship with the bloc.
Turkey returns to single-party rule in boost for Erdogan
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s Islamist-rooted AK Party swept to an unexpected victory in elections on Sunday, returning the country to single-party rule in an outcome that will boost the power of President Tayyip Erdogan but may sharpen deep social divis…
Russian jet broke up in mid air, too early for conclusions, official says
CAIRO/MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian airliner that crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula broke up in mid-air, an official of a Moscow-based aviation agency said on Sunday after visiting the disaster site, but stressed it was too early to draw conclusions fr…
Chile doubles down on prosecutions for Pinochet-era crimes
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – For nearly three decades after Veronica de Negri’s 19-year-old son Rodrigo Rojas was burned to death by Chilean soldiers during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, her hunt for justice had been fruitless.
Al Qaeda chief urges militant unity against Russia in Syria
CAIRO (Reuters) – Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on Muslim supporters to band together to confront the threat from the West and Russia in Syria and Iraq, the latest recording suggesting greater unity between al Qaeda and Islamic State.
In Central Asia, Kerry raises rights but tempers public criticism
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday met Uzbekistan’s autocratic ruler and officials from other Central Asian states accused of being among the world’s worst human rights offenders.
Merkel’s conservatives align refugee policy but coalition still at odds
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel failed on Sunday to fully resolve differences within her ruling coalition over how to deal with the huge refugee influx, leaving open a row that has rocked her government.
Islamic State takes Syrian town as fighting looks set to intensify
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State fighters drove Syrian government forces from a western town on Sunday, a monitoring group reported, as fighting escalated despite a flurry of diplomatic activity and talks between regional rivals.
