Putin discusses ‘deterioration’ in east Ukraine, Kiev denies fresh offensive
KIEV (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with top security chiefs on Thursday over a “deterioration of the situation” in eastern Ukraine after pro-Russian rebels there accused Kiev of launching a new offensive in violation of a ceas…
U.S. launches fresh strikes on Khorasan group in Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said it conducted air strikes on Wednesday night against the so-called Khorasan group, an al Qaeda-linked militant faction based in Syria, and said the group was plotting to attack Europe or the United States.
Vandal smashes Colombia plaque unveiled by Prince Charles
BOGOTA (Reuters) – A 69-year-old Colombian engineer smashed a plaque commemorating the death in 1741 of thousands of English soldiers in the coastal city of Cartagena just days after it was inaugurated by Prince Charles, said the mayor of the city who …
Putin blames politics for falling energy prices
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the fall in global oil prices that is hurting Russia’s economy was caused in part by political manipulation.
Clashes end Belgian unions’ first major protest against new government
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgian police and a few hundred protesters, including many dockers, clashed in central Brussels on Thursday after a largely peaceful march against reforms and cost-cutting measures of the new center-right government.
IGAD mediator says not keen on sanctions in South Sudan
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – The chief mediator between South Sudan’s warring rivals said he was not eager to back penalties against them, even though fighting had broken out again and the United States was trying to impose international sanctions in the co…
White House says Iran policy unchanged; declines comment on letter
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. policy toward Iran has not changed, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in response to a report that U.S. President Barack Obama had written a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about the campaign against Islamic State insurgents.
Jerusalem tension leaves Jordan more exposed to Mideast turmoil
AMMAN (Reuters) – As Jordan joins a military campaign against Islamic State militants in Syria, tensions in Jerusalem pose a potentially bigger risk to a nation only slightly scathed by the turmoil sweeping the Middle East.
One Azeri worker dies, one missing in offshore platform accident
BAKU (Reuters) – One worker was killed and another was missing after an accident at an offshore oil and gas platform in the Caspian Sea off Azerbaijan, Azeri state energy company SOCAR said on Thursday.
Tanzania probes alleged ivory smuggling during Chinese state visit
DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – Tanzania is studying a report alleging that Chinese officials bought large amounts of illegal ivory during a visit by President Xi Jinping last year and smuggled it out in diplomatic bags aboard his plane, a Tanzanian governme…
