Venezuela stages military exercise to counter U.S. ‘threat’
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela on Saturday staged a military exercise to counter an alleged U.S. threat, deploying soldiers and partisans across the country to march, man shoulder-fired missiles and defend an oil refinery from a simulated attack.
Kerry says unclear whether interim Iran deal within reach
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) – On the eve of fresh talks with Iran, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said it was unclear whether an interim agreement over its nuclear power program was within reach.
Sierra Leone vice president says requested asylum at U.S. embassy
FREETOWN (Reuters) – Sierra Leone’s Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana said he had requested asylum at the U.S. embassy in Freetown after soldiers surrounded his residence on Saturday following his expulsion from the ruling party last week.
Flagging as election looms, Netanyahu ramps up rhetoric
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Flagging in opinion polls before Tuesday’s election in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally rightists by casting his center-left challengers as tools of a global campaign to usurp power.
Islamic State fighters and force allied with Tripoli clash in central Libya
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Clashes erupted in central Libya on Saturday between Islamic State fighters and a force loyal to a Tripoli-based faction, a military official and residents said.
Afghanistan gave CIA money to al Qaeda for diplomat’s ransom: NYT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About $1 million provided by the CIA to a secret Afghan government fund ended up in the hands of al Qaeda in 2010 when it was used to pay a ransom for an Afghan diplomat, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
EU plans high-level visit to Cuba as ties with West warm
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, is to visit Cuba this month in the latest sign of warming relations between the Communist-ruled island and the West.
Germany wants Russia to comply with Ukraine peace deal before sanctions eased: sources
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany and other countries want European Union leaders to endorse a declaration saying that EU sanctions on Russia will not be eased unless Moscow complies with a Ukraine ceasefire deal, two officials said on Saturday.
Bangladesh seeking police on duty when U.S. blogger was killed
DHAKA (Reuters) – A government adviser on Saturday asked the chief of Bangladesh police to identify the officers who failed to act when a U.S. blogger was attacked and killed last month in Dhaka.
Elderly nun raped in Indian convent school
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A nun in her seventies was raped in the early hours of Saturday when a group of about five intruders broke into a convent school in eastern India, police said.
