Security forces foil suicide attack in Somali town: police
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Security forces prevented a suicide attack against a political conference in central Somalia on Thursday, killing three gunmen and the driver of a car packed with explosives, police said.
Heads to roll in Indonesian government after poor performance, says official
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s president will soon fire several top government officials due to poor performance, Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said on Thursday, paving the way for a possible cabinet reshuffle less than a year after taking office….
France says can’t confirm Algerian fighter killed in U.S. strike
PARIS (Reuters) – Algerian Islamist Mokhtar Belmokhtar was very likely killed by a U.S. strike in Libya but his death has not been confirmed, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday.
Merkel wants to seal framework for US/EU trade deal by year end
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that Berlin was still aiming to reach a political framework for a comprehensive trade deal between the European Union and the United States by the end of this year.
Putin’s confrontation with West ‘artificial’: dissident Khodorkovsky
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s confrontation with the West is “artificial” and aimed at protecting Russia’s ruling elite and distracting attention from a corrupt system, a former Russian oil tycoon said on Wednesday.
Islamic State car bombs kill or injure 50 in Yemeni capital
SANAA/GENEVA (Reuters) – Car bombs killed or injured at least 50 people near mosques and the headquarters of Yemen’s dominant Houthi group in Sanaa on Wednesday, in coordinated attacks claimed by Islamic State.
Four hurt in knife attack at Chinese market: police
BEIJING (Reuters) – A knife-wielding man injured four people, including one seriously, in southern China’s Guangxi region on Thursday, police said, the latest in a series of such attacks that have raised public concern.
World’s displaced hits record high of 60 million, half of them children: U.N.
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Almost 60 million people worldwide were forcibly uprooted by conflict and persecution at the end of last year, the highest ever recorded number, the U.N. refugee agency said on Thursday.
China says will welcome only anti-independence candidate for Taiwan president
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Thursday said it would welcome only an anti-independence candidate at Taiwan’s presidential election in January, offering its first comment on the likely contender for the island’s pro-China ruling Nationalist Party.
Russia unlikely to introduce new sanctions, will extend food embargo: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia is unlikely to introduce new sanctions in retaliation for EU decisions, Russian Economy Minister Alexei Uluykayev said on Thursday, adding that Moscow was most likely to extend a food embargo.
