Sri Lanka’s new president names 100-day cabinet before polls
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new president announced an interim cabinet on Monday he said would carry out reforms to fight corruption in the 100 days to a parliamentary election.
New sanctions could torpedo Iran nuclear deal: U.S. envoy to U.N.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – It is still possible to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, but new U.S. congressional sanctions could seriously undermine prospects for an agreement and end up isolating Washington instead of Tehran, the U.S. envoy to the United Natio…
EU energy chief heads to Moscow to discuss energy security
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission backs Bulgaria’s plans to build a gas hub to help it compensate for the loss of Russia’s South Stream pipeline, and will raise the issue at talks in Moscow on energy security on Wednesday, the EU’s energy bo…
Islamic State hit with 27 air strikes: U.S. military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies targeted Islamic State forces in 27 air strikes in Iraq and Syria in a 24-hour period, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Monday.
Will the world’s hungry benefit from falling oil prices?
ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A slump in global oil prices has brought cheaper food to many of the world’s poorest, but from the slums of Manila to the fields of Malawi, the benefits are not universal.
U.S.-funded Afghan police payroll at risk of waste and abuse: watchdog
WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The United States is spending more than $300 million a year on Afghan police officer salaries despite a significant risk that the funds are being wasted and abused, a U.S. government watchdog said on Monday.
Vatican denies reports of attack warnings
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican denied press reports on Monday that it had received specific warnings from Israeli and U.S. intelligence services that it was a probable next target of an Islamist attack.
Trial resumes for Swiss ex-banker charged with giving data to Wikileaks
ZURICH (Reuters) – A former Julius Baer banker acknowledged that he passed confidential client data to WikiLeaks but argued his actions were not illegal, as his trial resumed on charges of breaching Swiss banking secrecy law.
Germany seeks to keep jihadi suspects from traveling for 3 years
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany plans to seize the personal identity cards of would-be jihadists for up to three years – twice as long as originally planned – in order to prevent them from joining militants in the Middle East, according to a draft law.
New Croatian president targets government over economy
ZAGREB (Reuters) – Croatia’s new center president signaled on Monday she meant to hold the Social Democrat-led government to account over the economy, in comments that could herald months of tense cohabitation before a parliamentary election.
