Hopes of return muted in devastated Syrian Kurdish town
KOBANI, Syria (Reuters) – Sheets meant to hide residents from snipers’ sights still hang over streets in the Syrian border town of Kobani, and its shattered buildings and cratered roads suggest those who fled are unlikely to return soon.
Man wielding pistol arrested at Dutch national broadcaster
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A 19-year-old Dutchman with a pistol forced his way into the studios of the national broadcaster NOS on Thursday demanding to be allowed to go on air, but was quickly arrested, officials said.
Exclusive: U.S. armed drone program in Yemen facing intelligence gaps
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is facing increasing difficulty acquiring intelligence needed to run its stealth drone program in Yemen, undermining a campaign against the most lethal branch of al Qaeda after Houthi rebels seized control of parts of the country’s security apparatus, U.S. officials say.
EU wins Greek backing to extend Russia sanctions, delays decision on new steps
BRUSSELS/KIEV (Reuters) – European Union foreign ministers extended existing sanctions against Russia on Thursday, holding off on tighter economic measures for now but winning the support of the new left-leaning government of Greece, whose position had…
Argentine investigator into Jewish center bombing buried
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – The Argentine prosecutor who died under mysterious circumstances the day before he was to testify in Congress about allegations against the president regarding an investigation into a 1994 bombing was buried on Thursday amid ca…
Gas truck blast rocks Mexico hospital; two dead, 66 injured
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – A gas truck explosion decimated large parts of a maternity hospital on the western edge of Mexico City on Thursday, killing one woman and a child and leaving dozens injured, Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said.
Saudi king orders payout to state employees, reshuffles cabinet
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia’s new King Salman ordered a lavish payout to all state employees on Thursday and reshuffled some top government jobs while keeping in place the oil, foreign, finance, defense and interior ministers.
Wife of flogged Saudi blogger says his health is worsening
OTTAWA (Reuters) – The wife of a Saudi rights activist, sentenced last year to 1,000 lashes for criticizing the Kingdom’s clerics in his blog, said on Thursday her husband’s health had worsened after the first round of flogging and that he could not su…
Iran says nuclear talks with Europeans ‘promising’ but no progress
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran said talks with France, Germany and Britain on Thursday on its nuclear program were “promising” but more work was needed to settle the 12-year standoff, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Greece says Dijsselbloem visit will kick off debt talks
ATHENS (Reuters) – This week’s visit to Athens by the head of the euro zone finance ministers’ group will mark the start of Greece’s negotiations on changing the conditions of its international bailout accord, the finance ministry said in a statement.
