With Pope’s ear, Philippines president rebukes clergy over hair joke
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Friday lashed out against vocal clergy in the mostly Catholic country who have spoken out against everything from a controversial contraceptive law to his hair, or lack of it.
Russia says Ukraine troop rotation won’t help peace
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian is concerned that a rotation by Kiev of front-line forces in eastern Ukraine could undermine peace efforts, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
Austria again detains 14-year-old on suspicion of terror offences
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian police have detained a 14-year-old boy for the second time on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization, planning to travel to Syria and researching how to build bombs, a police spokesman said on Friday.
Belgium on high alert after bloody police raid
BRUSSELS/VERVIERS (Reuters) – Belgian security forces were on high alert on Friday after police killed two gunmen recently returned from Syria during one of several raids across the country against an Islamist network suspected of planning imminent att…
Thai authorities extradite man convicted over 1995 India bombing
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai authorities have extradited a man convicted of involvement in a bomb attack in India two decades ago, Thai police said on Friday, despite rights groups concerns he could be tortured back at home.
Islamic State kills 17 in Syria after hit-and-run attacks
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State has beheaded or shot 17 men in Syria in the past two days as it faces increasing attacks from unidentified gunmen in areas it controls, a monitoring group said on Friday.
Ukraine needs ‘financial mobilization’: finance minister
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine needs “financial mobilization” and further help from foreign backers to survive the economic crisis, Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko said on Friday, stressing that the country was meeting all its current foreign debt obligatio…
Italian hostage release raises questions over ransom
ROME (Reuters) – Italian politicians welcomed the liberation of two Italian aid volunteers held hostage in Syria but their release drew criticism over a possible ransom payment.
Foreigners among over 20 missing after tug sinks in China’s Yangtze
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – More than 20 people are missing after a tug boat sank in the Yangtze River in China’s eastern Jiangsu Province on Thursday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Friday quoting local authorities.
North Korea says committed to fighting money laundering, terror financing
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea said on Friday it was committed to fighting money laundering and financing of terrorism, two weeks after being slapped with more U.S. sanctions in the wake of a cyberattack on Sony Pictures which Washington blamed on Pyong…
