U.S. sees Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul in April-May time frame
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An Iraqi and Kurdish military force of some 20,000 to 25,000 troops is being prepared to recapture the city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters, probably in the April-May time frame, an official at the U.S. Central Command said …
Germany holds up Greek bid for euro zone loan extension
ATHENS/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Germany rejected a Greek proposal for a six-month extension to its euro zone loan agreement on Thursday, saying it was “not a substantial solution” because it did not commit Athens to stick to the conditions of its internati…
Mexico’s top auditor sees consensus for new anti-graft court
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s top auditor is optimistic the country can address a crisis of confidence in its institutions, in part by introducing an independent court to sanction public servants for corruption offenses, he told Reuters on Thursday….
Peru charges two with spying, ties with Chile fray
LIMA (Reuters) – Two Peruvian naval officers face treason charges on allegations that they spied for Chile, a case that threatens to derail newly improved relations between the two Andean countries, Peru said on Thursday.
Pro-Islamic State militants seize Libyan university: residents
CAIRO (Reuters) – Militants claiming loyalty to Islamic State have seized the university in the central Libyan city of Sirte, residents said on Thursday, days after a video showed them staging a convoy parade.
Obama rejects as ‘ugly lie’ notion that West at war with Islam
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday urged countries to tackle violent Islamist militancy around the world and rejected as “an ugly lie” suggestions that the West was at war with Islam and embroiled in a clash of civilizations…
Mali, Tuareg-led rebels agree to cease hostilities for peace talks
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Mali’s government and an alliance of Tuareg-led northern rebels agreed to cease hostilities on Thursday to ease tensions during U.N.-sponsored peace negotiations aimed at ending decades of uprisings.
Serving British soldier ‘joins Peshmerga to fight Islamic State’: Sky
LONDON (Reuters) – A serving British soldier has joined Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting Islamic State (IS) insurgents, Sky television reported on Thursday.
Iran still stalling U.N. nuclear inquiry as deal deadline looms: IAEA
VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran has still not addressed specific issues that could feed suspicions it may have researched an atomic bomb, a U.N. watchdog report showed on Thursday, potentially complicating efforts by six powers to clinch a nuclear deal with Te…
Amid Israeli restrictions on materials, makeshift homes sprout in Gaza
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza (Reuters) – Aid agencies struggling to shelter thousands of Gazans made homeless by war have resorted to building makeshift temporary homes out of metal and wood to evade Israeli restrictions on imports into the territory.
