Putin says foes hope to dismember Russia; ruble falls
MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin accused Russia’s enemies on Thursday of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy to punish it for becoming strong, but said his country would rise to any challenge.
At least 20 killed in fighting in Russia’s Chechnya
GROZNY/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Gunmen attacked a police post and stormed a building on Thursday in Grozny, capital of Russia’s southern province of Chechnya, killing 10 policemen in clashes in which 10 of the attackers were also killed.
Swedish far-right makes big gamble to shed pariah status
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s far-right is gambling its political future in pitching the country into snap elections, calculating disaffection with established parties and fears over immigration can further its meteoric rise from a pariah-like obscuri…
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe purges ‘treacherous’ deputy once seen as successor
HARARE (Reuters) – Ninety-year-old Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe purged the deputy seen just months ago as his most likely successor, denouncing her before party loyalists as leader of a “treacherous cabal” bent on removing him from power.
Somali rebels say shot down Kenyan military plane
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Somali Islamist group al Shabaab said it had shot down a Kenyan military plane on Thursday in southern Somalia, after Kenyan newspapers had reported that it crashed due to technical problems after a combat mission.
Turkish nationalists charged in assault on U.S. sailors, face long jail sentence
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Thirteen Turkish nationalists accused of assaulting two U.S. sailors in Istanbul could face a decade in prison after being charged with causing insult and injury and violating protest laws, according to an indictment published on T…
Rome mayor orders review of contracts amid graft scandal
ROME (Reuters) – The mayor of Rome ordered a review of city contracts on Thursday after a police investigation revealed a web of corrupt relationships between politicians and criminals in the Italian capital.
Congo to start repatriating ex-M23 rebels from Uganda, Rwanda
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo is to start repatriating former M23 rebels from neighboring countries, a government official said on Thursday, a process it hopes will prevent the defeated insurgents regrouping.
Islamic State cedes little ground despite air attacks
BAGHDAD/BEIRUT (Reuters) – They have made enemies across the globe and endured three months of U.S.-led air strikes, but Islamic State fighters have surrendered little of their self-declared caliphate to the broad sweep of forces arrayed against them.
France begins withdrawing Central Africa troops as U.N. deploys
PARIS (Reuters) – France is withdrawing troops from Central African Republic as a United Nations peacekeeping force nears its full deployment, but will keep a presence to support the U.N. with a rapid reaction force, officials and diplomats said.
