Afghanistan gave CIA money to al Qaeda for diplomat’s ransom: NYT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About $1 million provided by the CIA to a secret Afghan government fund ended up in the hands of al Qaeda in 2010 when it was used to pay a ransom for an Afghan diplomat, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
EU plans high-level visit to Cuba as ties with West warm
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, is to visit Cuba this month in the latest sign of warming relations between the Communist-ruled island and the West.
Germany wants Russia to comply with Ukraine peace deal before sanctions eased: sources
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany and other countries want European Union leaders to endorse a declaration saying that EU sanctions on Russia will not be eased unless Moscow complies with a Ukraine ceasefire deal, two officials said on Saturday.
Bangladesh seeking police on duty when U.S. blogger was killed
DHAKA (Reuters) – A government adviser on Saturday asked the chief of Bangladesh police to identify the officers who failed to act when a U.S. blogger was attacked and killed last month in Dhaka.
Elderly nun raped in Indian convent school
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A nun in her seventies was raped in the early hours of Saturday when a group of about five intruders broke into a convent school in eastern India, police said.
Huge Pacific cyclone devastates Vanuatu, at least eight dead
SYDNEY (Reuters) – One of the Pacific Ocean’s most powerful ever storms devastated the island nation of Vanuatu on Saturday, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees and killing at least eight people with the toll set to rise, aid officials said.
Islamic State targeted in 10 air strikes by U.S., allies: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its coalition partners staged 10 air strikes on Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria in a 24-hour period, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Saturday.
Pope ready to help improve ties between Belarus and EU: Vatican
MINSK (Reuters) – Pope Francis is ready to help improve ties between Belarus and the European Union, a senior papal official said on Saturday in the latest sign of a developing thaw in relations between Brussels and Minsk.
Iraqi troops pause, await back-up in battle for Tikrit against militants
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi forces and mainly Shi’ite militiamen battling to wrest full control of the city of Tikrit from Islamic State militants paused their offensive for a second day on Saturday as they awaited reinforcements, a military source said….
In show of solidarity, Modi visits war-hit Tamil region in Sri Lanka
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the former war zone of northern Sri Lanka on Saturday, in a show of solidarity with ethnic Tamils who suffered in a 26-year-old civil war.
