Shortage-weary Venezuelans scoff at fingerprinting plan for food sales
CARACAS (Reuters) – A government plan to combat Venezuela’s food shortages by fingerprinting shoppers in grocery stores has sparked a backlash ranging from violent street protests to social media campaigns ridiculing the idea.
No respite for South Sudan: cholera down but malaria, parasitic disease up: MSF
NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – South Sudan’s cholera crisis is waning but humanitarian workers are now battling increased cases of malaria and the parasitic disease kala azar, with children most affected.
China investigates senior legislator amid corruption crackdown
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is investigating a member of its top legislature, the country’s corruption watchdog said on Friday, the latest high-profile official to be targeted in a government campaign to stamp out graft.
U.S. sends arms to bolster Lebanon army after Islamist incursion
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The United States has begun delivering nearly $20 million of arms including assault rifles, anti-tank missiles and mortars to bolster Lebanon’s army after Islamist insurgents seized a border town for several days this month, U.S. off…
Pakistan leader distances himself from army as crisis drags on
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s prime minister, weakened by weeks of opposition protests calling for him to resign, distanced himself from an army move to intervene in the crisis on Friday, saying he did not turn to the military for help to defuse the…
Islamic State’s appeal presents Jordan with new test
AMMAN (Reuters) – He had a good job and a loving family, but it wasn’t enough for a 25-year old Jordanian who abandoned his life of privilege in Amman to join the Islamic State group that has seized swathes of neighboring Iraq and Syria.
Executive asks for firm’s name to be removed from pro-Scottish independence letter: FT
LONDON (Reuters) – A British businessman who signed a letter supporting Scottish independence has asked for the name of his employer, a restaurant group and one of the biggest firms to appear on the list, to be removed, the Financial Times reported on …
New Turkish cabinet spells little policy shift, Erdogan stays dominant
ANKARA (Reuters) – Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu kept key members of Turkey’s economic management team in place and named Ankara’s point man on Europe as foreign minister in a new cabinet on Friday, moves signalling President Tayyip Erdogan’s continue…
Iran’s foreign minister hopes for nuclear accord ‘in short time left’ till deadline
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran hoped to reach a “positive result” in talks with world powers on its nuclear programme ahead of a November deadline, thanks in part to support from Russia.
U.N. says 43 Golan peacekeepers seized by Syria militants, 81 trapped
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Militants fighting the Syrian army have detained 43 U.N. peacekeepers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and trapped another 81 in the region, and the world body is working to secure their release, the United Nations said …
