U.S. urges Colombia to make quick progress to peace
BOGOTA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Colombian negotiators on Friday to move quickly in peace talks aimed at ending 50 years of war so that the Andean country can move on and achieve “enormous potential”.
Italy’s Renzi proposes tougher corruption laws amid Rome scandal
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Friday proposed tougher laws against corruption amid an investigation in Rome into a mafia-like group that offered bribes to officials in exchange for lucrative public contracts.
Russia accuses U.S. of destroying ‘carcass of cooperation’ with Ukraine bill
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday sternly criticized a bill on Ukraine that passed the U.S. Senate, saying Washington was doing its utmost to “destroy the carcass of cooperation” between the two countries.
Air traffic control failure disrupts flights over Britain
LONDON (Reuters) – Hundreds of flights to and from London were disrupted on Friday by a technical failure at England’s main air traffic control center, which a senior government minister said was “simply unacceptable”.
Mexico conflict of interest scandal snares finance minister
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s finance minister on Friday denied he faced a conflict of interest after he became embroiled in a scandal engulfing President Enrique Peña Nieto, and welcomed an investigation into his purchase of a home from a government contractor.
International court’s prosecutor shelves Darfur case for lack of U.N. support
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor said on Friday that she had shelved an investigation into war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region for lack of action by the United Nations Security Council to push for arrests.
Merkel condemns racism as Dresden anti-Islam marches grow
BERLIN/NUREMBERG (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday condemned anti-Muslim demonstrations centered on the eastern city of Dresden, saying there was “no place in Germany” for hatred of Muslims or any other minority.
South Sudan children survive on waterlilies as crisis escalates
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Around 1 million children in South Sudan have been forced to flee their homes since conflict erupted a year ago, some are surviving on waterlily roots, and there may be famine next year, the U.N. children’s agency …
EU could consider new Libya sanctions if it helps talks: diplomats
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union could consider imposing new sanctions on Libya if U.N. Special Envoy Bernardino Leon thought it would help his efforts to end the political crisis there, EU diplomats said on Friday.
Mali freed four militants in exchange for French hostage: minister
DAKAR (Reuters) – Mali freed four Islamist militants with ties to al Qaeda in north Africa in exchange for the release of Serge Lazarevic, a French national who was being held by the group, Mali’s justice minister said on Friday.
