Afghan blast kills 33; president blames Islamic State
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – A suicide bomber in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad killed 33 people and injured more than 100 on Saturday, setting off a blast outside a bank where government workers collect salaries, the city’s police chief…
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe says bonuses for public workers to stay
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday said public workers would continue receiving annual bonuses, publicly contradicting his finance minister who said this week the government would stop the payments for the next two years….
U.S., allies target Islamic State with 20 air strikes in Iraq, Syria: military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies have launched 20 air strikes targeting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria since early on Friday, the Combined Joint Task Force leading the operations said on Saturday.
Two ships run aground in Suez Canal, delaying traffic
CAIRO (Reuters) – A container ship ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal in dense mist on Saturday morning, the canal authority said, delaying traffic through a vital global trade route for several hours.
Mugabe ‘shocked, disgusted’ by South African anti-immigrant violence
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday expressed shock and disgust at attacks on immigrants in neighboring South Africa and said his government was working to bring back home affected Zimbabwean citizens.
Al Shabaab militants kill regional Somali lawmaker in capital
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Gunmen from Somali Islamist group al Shabaab killed a regional lawmaker on Saturday after he had taken his wife to hospital in the capital Mogadishu, the group and officials said.
Hollande’s approval ratings climb off rock bottom: French poll
PARIS (Reuters) – President Francois Hollande’s approval rating has risen, but the vast majority of French voters remain unhappy with his performance, casting doubt on his re-election chances, said an opinion poll published on Saturday.
South Africa’s main opposition party may get first black leader
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The charismatic black parliamentary leader of South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) on Saturday announced he would campaign for the leadership of the historically white opposition party.
UK’s Labour pledges to tackle exploitation of migrant workers
LONDON (Reuters) – British opposition leader Ed Miliband said on Saturday that he would set up a new government unit to prosecute employers who exploit migrant workers if his Labour Party wins power in the national election on May 7.
Israel says to transfer of frozen tax funds to Palestinians
JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Israel said on Saturday it would transfer $470 million of withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority following talks between a senior Israeli military officer and Palestinian officials.
