Afghan spy chief laments intelligence vacuum as foreign troops leave
KABUL (Reuters) – The departure of most foreign troops from Afghanistan has left an intelligence-gathering vacuum that facilitates Taliban attacks, the head of the Afghan spy agency said on Wednesday.
Latin American leftist exiles hold faith in Maduro’s Venezuela
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s aging community of fugitives from 1970s South American dictatorships are staying loyal to their revolutionary roots and defending President Nicolas Maduro at one of his “Chavista” socialist movement’s lowest ebbs.
Buhari catches anti-graft mood but divides Nigerian voters
LAGOS (Reuters) – “I am not a rich person, I can’t give you a pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support,” Nigeria’s former military leader Muhammadu Buhari wrote to opposition delegates last week before they chose him to contest next year’…
Hamas’ deputy chief says it has patched up ties with Iran
GAZA (Reuters) – Hamas and Iran have repaired a close political and military relationship frayed by the Syrian civil war, the Palestinian Islamist group’s deputy leader said on Wednesday.
Brazil leader Rousseff’s popularity undented by Petrobras scandal
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s approval rating has not suffered from a widening corruption scandal involving state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA and many Brazilians continue to trust her, a poll showed on Wednesday.
U.S. slaps sanctions on Swiss, Dutch companies over Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on Dutch and Swiss oil trading firms for their dealings with the Syrian government, which has been engaged in bloody civil war with opposition forces.
EU parliament backs compromise resolution on Palestinian state
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Wednesday supporting Palestinian statehood in principle, in a compromise motion that did not follow some European national legislatures in backing immediate recognition of a Palestini…
EU to tighten sanctions on Crimea in time for leaders summit: officials
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union will widen its ban on investment in Crimea to target Russian Black Sea oil and gas exploration, EU officials said on Wednesday, tightening sanctions first imposed over Moscow’s annexation of the region.
Kenya parliament to vote on amendments meant to improve security
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s parliament is due to vote on Thursday on a bill to let police hold terror-related suspects for a year and take other measures that rights activists say would threaten civil liberties and free speech.
Iraq seeks one-year deferral on Gulf War reparations
GENEVA (Reuters) – Iraq has requested a one-year deferral of a $4.6 billion reparations payment for destroying Kuwait’s oil facilities during its 1990-91 occupation, a U.N. official said on Wednesday.
