Iraqi Kurdish forces enter Syria to fight Islamic State
SURUC Turkey (Reuters) – A first group of Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters entered the besieged Syrian town of Kobani on Thursday to help push back Islamic State militants who have defied U.S. air strikes and threatened to massacre its Kurdish defender…
Scottish Labour Party deputy leader Anas Sarwar quits: The Scotsman
(Reuters) – Anas Sarwar has quit his role as deputy leader of the Scottish Labour party to allow the new leadership team to be ‘focused on the Scottish Parliament’, the Scotsman reported.
Kerry says reported U.S. slur of Israel’s Netanyahu ‘damaging’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The description of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “chickenshit” by an anonymous U.S. official as quoted in a U.S. magazine this week was disgraceful and damaging, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday.
Italy union head accuses Renzi of seeking confrontation
ROME (Reuters) – The leader of Italy’s largest union accused Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Thursday of deliberately stoking conflict with the labor movement and ignoring the growing cost of the economic crisis for Italian workers.
No hope for survivors in Sri Lanka landslide, over 100 dead
HALDUMMULLA Sri Lanka (Reuters) – Hopes of finding survivors under the mud and rubble of a landslide in Sri Lanka ran out on Thursday, though a government minister cut the estimated death toll to over 100 from 300 the previous night.
Niger says insurgents kill nine members of security forces
NIAMEY (Reuters) – At least 12 people – including nine members of Niger’s security forces – were killed in attacks by unidentified insurgents on Thursday in the western Tillabéry region near the border with Mali, the government said.
German court sentences ‘Autobahn gunman’ to 10 years in jail
BERLIN (Reuters) – A German court on Thursday sentenced a lorry driver to 10 1/2 years in prison for shooting hundreds of times from his cab at other vehicles on the country’s motorways.
Anti-Muslim bullying on rise after Canada attacks
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Reports of anti-Muslim harassment in Canada have risen, Muslim organizations say, after attacks last week in which two soldiers were killed by people authorities say were inspired by the militant group Islamic State.
Myanmar calls meeting of political, military heavyweights
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar’s president and powerful military chief will hold an unprecedented high-level meeting on Friday with major political parties and ethnic minority groups as cracks widen in the fledgling democracy ahead of an election next year…
Obama speaks to Myanmar president, opposition leader Suu Kyi
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama spoke to Myanmar President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in separate telephone calls on Thursday, the White House said.
