Colombia’s FARC rebels invite Miss Universe to attend peace talks
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s Marxist FARC rebels have invited the newly-crowned Miss Universe Paulina Vega, a native of the country’s Caribbean coast, to attend their peace negotiations with the government, a bid to end 50 years of fighting.
Gulf countries, opposition say Houthi takeover in Yemen a ‘coup’
SANAA (Reuters) – The Gulf Cooperation Council has accused Shi’ite Houthi rebels of staging a coup in Yemen after they announced they were dissolving parliament and forming a new government, Kuwait’s official news agency said on Saturday.
Protesters demand scrapping of Burkina Faso presidential guard
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – Hundreds of people protested on Saturday in Burkina Faso calling for the dissolution of the presidential guard, a powerful unit within the military that earlier this week called for the prime minister to resign.
IAEA chief urges Iran to keep its promises on nuclear program
MUNICH (Reuters) – Talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have reached a “crucial” juncture and Tehran needs to provide urgent clarification on key aspects of its nuclear program, the IAEA’s chief said on Saturday.
Russian-backed rebels massing to attack key Ukrainian towns: Kiev
DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Pro-Russian separatists have intensified shelling of government forces on all front lines and appear to be amassing forces for new offensives on the key railway town of Debaltseve and the coastal city of Mariupol, Ukraine’s…
Exclusive – Iran tells West President Rouhani at risk if talks fail: Iranian officials
ANKARA/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Iran’s foreign minister has warned the United States that failure to agree a nuclear deal would likely herald the political demise of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, Iranian officials said, raising the stakes as the dec…
South African anti-apartheid author Andre Brink dies
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African anti-apartheid writer Andre Brink, 79, died on Friday after suffering a blood clot while on a plane to Cape Town from a Belgian University where he was collecting an honorary doctorate, local media said.
Modi faces Delhi election defeat in first vote setback: exit polls
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces his first state election defeat since sweeping to power last year, according to exit polls on Saturday which showed a resurgent anti-corruption party on track to win a majority in New Delh…
Syria death toll now exceeds 210,000: rights group
AMMAN (Reuters) – The death toll after nearly four years of civil war in Syria has risen to 210,060, nearly half of them civilians, but the real figure is probably much higher, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday.
U.S.-led forces launch 26 air strikes in Syria, Iraq: U.S. military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-led forces launched 15 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and 11 in Syria, the U.S. military said on Saturday, adding that nine targets in Syria centered around the border city of Kobani that was recaptured from the m…
