Afghans arrested Chinese Uighurs to aid Taliban talks bid: officials
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan arrested and handed over several Muslim Uighur militants from China’s west in an effort to persuade China to use its influence with Pakistan to help start negotiations with the Taliban, Afghan security officials said on Fr…
Austria tells Kosovars not to waste time seeking asylum
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Austria published a full-page appeal in Kosovo’s biggest daily newspaper on Friday telling Kosovars they were wasting their time and money trying to win asylum in the EU, responding to a sudden surge in migration from the impoveris…
EU renews sanctions on Zimbabwe, Mugabe
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union renewed for another year its sanctions against Zimbabwe, including a travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his wife, according to a notice on Friday in the EU’s Official Journal.
Fighting persists in east Ukraine despite ceasefire
KIEV/VUHLEHIRSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Fighting persisted in east Ukraine on Friday despite new European efforts to ensure a ceasefire takes hold.
Homes destroyed as twin cyclones slam into northern Australia
ROCKHAMPTON, Australia (Reuters) – A powerful cyclone slammed into northeast Australia on Friday, destroying homes, upending trees, cutting power lines and causing flash floods, while a second storm severed communications to a northern island where hea…
Trains collide near Zurich, causing injuries
ZURICH (Reuters) – Two passenger trains collided in Switzerland on Friday, causing injuries and disrupting commuter routes into Zurich, police and rail operator SBB said.
Turkey says joint U.S. training of Syria rebels to start in March
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday Turkey and the United States aimed to start a program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels early next month.
Greece hopes for solution, still opposed to bailout: government spokesman
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece has made every effort to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with its euro zone partners but will not be pushed to implement its old bailout program, its government spokesman said on Friday.
Sri Lanka reviews land transfer to China as port deal draws scrutiny
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka is reconsidering the outright transfer of a parcel of land to China under a $1.5 billion port city deal signed by a previous government, the energy minister said, amid concerns it could be used for Chinese naval activity.
At least 40 injured, 100 evacuated after fire in Dutch apartment block
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – More than 40 people were injured in an early morning fire at a large apartment building in the eastern Dutch city of Nijmegen, the regional crisis center said on Friday.
