Hollande asks Europe for patience with France, vows reform
PARIS (Reuters) – President Francois Hollande pleaded with Germany and other European partners on Thursday to be patient with France and give it more time to reform before it meets deficit targets, admitting that results were coming too slowly.
‘Gucci Grace, PhD’ stirs up race to lead post-Mugabe Zimbabwe
HARARE (Reuters) – Soon after being shoe-horned into the top ranks of Zimbabwe’s ruling party, the wife of ageing leader Robert Mugabe has gained a PhD in orphanages, seen as the latest sign that she may be destined for high office.
UK Muslim leaders call for release of Briton held by Islamic State
LONDON (Reuters) – Muslim groups across Britain called on Thursday for the release of British hostage Alan Henning, a volunteer aid worker captured in Syria whose life was threatened in a recent video released by Islamic State militants.
Nigeria police have special ‘torture officers’: Amnesty
LAGOS (Reuters) – Torture is so common in Nigeria’s police force that many police stations have a designated officer to carry out atrocities such as pulling teeth, choking, raping and delivering electric shocks to detainees, Amnesty International said …
Israel believes Syria kept ‘significant’ chemical munitions
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel believes Syria has retained caches of combat-ready chemical weapons after giving up raw materials used to produce such munitions under pressure from foreign powers, a senior Israeli official said on Thursday.
West tells Iran it must address nuclear bomb fears
VIENNA (Reuters) – Western powers told Iran on Thursday it must step up cooperation with a U.N. watchdog’s investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by the country if it wants to get a broader nuclear deal that would ease sanctions.
Italian PM Renzi’s father in fraudulent bankruptcy probe
GENOA/FLORENCE (Reuters) – The father of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is under investigation for fraudulent bankruptcy at a company he owned before it was dissolved, judicial sources said on Thursday.
Bahrain releases prominent human rights activist awaiting trial
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain’s ministry of interior said on Thursday it had released human rights activist Maryam al-Khawaja from detention as she awaits trial, amid international criticism of her treatment.
France ready for greater EU integration with Germany – Hollande
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he was ready to go further on European Union integration with Germany and wanted to move towards a “two-speed” Europe.
How Islamic State uses Syria’s oil to fuel its advances
AMMAN (Reuters) – In an oil field in northeastern Syria, trucks line up daily to load crude sold cheaply by Islamic State militants who have hijacked parts of the country’s energy industry in their bid to build a caliphate.
