Cuba, U.S. renew talks while differing over Venezuela
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba and the United States renewed talks on restoring diplomatic relations on Monday, this time amid secrecy and with the longtime adversaries differing sharply over Venezuela, Cuba’s closest ally.
Closing in on nuclear deal, U.S. demands ‘tough choices’ from Iran
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – The United States and Iran inched closer to a political deal that would set the stage for a landmark nuclear agreement, but a U.S. official warned on Monday that Iran must make tough choices to allay fears about its at…
No place for Assad in Syria talks, U.S. officials say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States insisted on Monday it would never negotiate directly with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, edging away from comments made by Secretary of State John Kerry, and it cast doubt on any immediate prospects for third-party talks to resolve Syria’s civil war.
Kurds report more chlorine attacks, Iraq pauses Tikrit offensive
ARBIL/BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq paused its Tikrit offensive on Monday and officials called for more air strikes against Islamic State militants, while an officer said Kurdish forces sustained two more chlorine gas attacks by insurgents.
Families flee Libya’s Sirte as clashes with Islamic State escalate
NEAR SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) – Dozens of families fled Libya’s coastal city of Sirte on Monday after two days of clashes between Islamic State militants and fighters loyal to a government based in Tripoli, with violence likely to escalate
Rousseff to survive Brazil protests, but economy could suffer
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Huge demonstrations against President Dilma Rousseff over the weekend will make it harder for her to fix Brazil’s finances and repair the economic damage from a corruption scandal at state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA.
Netanyahu says no Palestinian state as long as he’s prime minister
HAR HOMA, West Bank (Reuters) – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a final bid to shore up right-wing support ahead of a knife-edge vote on Tuesday, said he would not permit a Palestinian state to be created under his watch if he is re-elec…
Egyptian court wants death penalty for Brotherhood leader and 13 others: sources
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court seeks the death penalty for the Muslim Brotherhood’s top leader Mohamed Badie and 13 other members of the group for inciting chaos and planning attacks on police and army institutions, judicial sources said on Monday…
Nigeria military says Bama city recaptured from Boko Haram
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian government forces recaptured the northeastern city of Bama from Islamist Boko Haram insurgents, the army said on Monday, a significant victory for the government just two weeks before a national election.
Organized crime is biggest security and humanitarian threat to Colombia: U.N.
BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Colombia’s criminal gangs pose the biggest threat to Colombians and are responsible for human trafficking, rights abuses and for forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes each year, the United Nations…
