U.S., allies conduct 14 air strikes against Islamic State militants: military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led military coalition launched nine air strikes in Iraq and five in Syria against Islamic State militants since early on Thursday, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Friday.
Greek PM forecasts ‘happy end’; Eurogroup chief cites progress in talks
ATHENS/ROME (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras forecast a happy end soon to fraught negotiations with creditors on a cash-for-reform deal, and the chairman of euro zone finance ministers said talks were making progress, though not enough f…
U.S., Gulf allies seek agreement on new security measures: Kerry
PARIS (Reuters) – The United States and its Gulf allies will try to agree on new security measures at a summit in Washington next week to guard against destabilizing actions by Iran in the region, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday.
One policeman shot dead in Saudi capital: state agency
ABU DHABI (Reuters) – A policeman was shot dead on Friday evening in a southern district of the capital of Riyadh, the official Saudi news agency SPA said.
Obama, Saudi King Salman to meet at White House before summit next week
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will meet on Wednesday with Saudi King Salman at the White House ahead of a wider summit with leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, a White House spokesman said on Friday.
Twin bombings outside Shi’ite mosque kill 17 in eastern Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Twin bombings outside a Shi’ite place of worship in eastern Iraq killed at least 17 people as they filed out after Friday prayers, police and hospital sources said.
Exclusive: Weapons inspectors find undeclared sarin and VX traces in Syria – diplomats
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – International inspectors have found traces of sarin and VX nerve agent at a military research site in Syria that had not been declared to the global chemical weapons watchdog, diplomatic sources said on Friday.
Saudi-led coalition bombs Houthis in north Yemen, offers five-day truce
CAIRO/ADEN (Reuters) – Saudi-led warplanes bombed targets in Yemen’s Saada province, a bastion of Iranian-allied Houthi rebels, on Friday and Riyadh then announced a five-day humanitarian ceasefire to begin on May 12, conditioned on Houthis agreeing to…
Merkel’s approval ratings drop steeply in wake of spying scandal
BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s popularity has dropped abruptly in the wake of an unfolding spying scandal and she has slipped from the top spot among Germany’s leading politicians, ARD television network said on Friday.
Nepal earthquake survivors turn to rebuilding homes and lives
KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Six years ago, Paru Shrestha’s family tore down their old home in the Nepali town of Sankhu and replaced it with a modern, five-storey house. It probably saved their lives.
