U.S.-led strikes pressure al Qaeda’s Syria group to join with Islamic State
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front, is facing mounting pressure from its own members to reconcile with its rival Islamic State and confront a common enemy after U.S.-led air strikes hit both groups this week.
Ukraine president sets 2020 as EU target date, defends peace plan
KIEV (Reuters) – President Petro Poroshenko proclaimed reforms on Thursday spanning all aspects of life to make strife-torn Ukraine fit for European Union membership, warning his people that without reform they would face a future “alone with Russia.”
Poland-bound LOT Boeing Dreamliner resumes flight after emergency landing
LONDON/WARSAW (Reuters) – A Boeing Co Dreamliner traveling from Chicago to Poland resumed its flight on Friday after making an emergency landing at Glasgow, Scotland, to check an alert from the fire protection system in the baggage hold.
German opposition asks top court to order Snowden testimony in Berlin
BERLIN (Reuters) – German opposition lawmakers appealed to the Constitutional Court to oblige the government to bring ex-U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden to Germany to testify before a parliamentary committee investigating espionage.
Hague prosecutors demand life for Bosnian Serb leader Karadzic
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Prosecutors at a U.N. court in The Hague have called for former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to be sentenced to life in prison for his alleged crimes, including the massacre of over 7,000 men and boys in Srebrenica and the…
Hong Kong students storm government HQ in challenge to Beijing
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Over 100 pro-democracy students stormed Hong Kong government headquarters and scuffled with police late on Friday in protest against the Chinese government’s tightening grip on the former British colony.
British anti-EU party targets opposition Labour voters before 2015 vote
LONDON (Reuters) – The anti-EU United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) said on Friday it would target working class voters in the north of England who traditionally back the opposition Labour party as it seeks to broaden support ahead of next May’s na…
Rousseff gains momentum in tight Brazil election race
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has regained the momentum in an election race that looks too close to call just a week before the first round of voting, using a wave of attacks to halt a surge by challenger Marina Silva.
U.N. nuclear assembly condemns North Korea reactor restart
VIENNA (Reuters) – Member states of the U.N. atomic watchdog condemned on Friday North Korea’s efforts to develop its nuclear capabilities, including the restart of a reactor which experts say can yield atomic bomb material.
Islamic State tightens grip on Syrian border town; shells hit Turkey
KARACA Turkey (Reuters) – Islamic State fighters tightened their siege of the strategic town of Kobani on Syria’s border with Turkey on Friday, pushing back Kurdish forces and sending shells into Turkish territory, witnesses said.
