India PM replaces Soviet-style planning body, aiming to boost growth
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India has scrapped its 65-year-old Planning Commission, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused of stifling growth with Soviet-style bureaucracy, replacing it on Thursday with a body he said would do more to involve the reg…
New Year’s Eve stampede kills 36 on Shanghai waterfront
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A stampede killed at least 36 people during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Shanghai, authorities said, but police denied reports it was caused by people rushing to pick up fake money thrown from a building overlooking the city’s fa…
U.S., partners hit Islamic State in Syria, Iraq
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies staged 29 air strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Thursday.
One in 8 Germans would join anti-Muslim marches: poll
BERLIN (Reuters) – One German in eight would join an anti-Muslim march if a rapidly-growing protest movement organized one in their home towns, according to an opinion poll published on Thursday.
Former Lebanese PM Karami dies: state news agency
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s former prime minister Omar Karami has died aged 80 after an illness, state news agency NNA reported on Thursday citing a statement from his family.
Pope urges united fight against slavery, human trafficking
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis urged people of all religions and cultures on Thursday to unite to fight modern slavery and human trafficking, saying in his first Mass of 2015 that everyone had a God-given right to be free.
Video purports to show two Italians held by Syria captors
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A video released late on Wednesday purported to show two Italian women held by militants in Syria, with one of them saying they are in danger of being killed.
Afghans take over full security charge, mortars kill 20 civilians
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan assumed full responsibility for security from departing foreign combat troops on Thursday, a day after Afghan army mortar shells killed at least 20 civilians attending a wedding party in volatile southern Helmand province….
Cuba frees dissidents from crackdown condemned by U.S.
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba freed some leading dissidents on Wednesday after holding them overnight to thwart an unauthorized demonstration in a crackdown that has tested its new detente with the United States.
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un says open to summit with South
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was open to a high-level summit with neighboring South Korea, days after a proposal from Seoul to resume dialogue.
