Sri Lanka names ex-diplomat as governor of northern former war zone
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s new leader, Maithripala Sirisena, has named a former diplomat as governor of the northern province, replacing a retired military officer in a bid to forge reconciliation with ethnic minority Tamils after the end of a 26-…
Food enters Syria’s besieged Homs city after local deal: U.N.
GENEVA/BEIRUT (Reuters) – U.N. aid workers have started delivering food to tens of thousands of people trapped in a besieged district of Homs city in Syria following negotiations with warring parties, officials said on Friday.
Swedish minister says Israel irritating allies over Palestine recognition
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s foreign minister said on Friday Israel had irritated close allies by over-reacting to Stockholm recognizing the state of Palestine, saying its rhetoric over the issue had “crossed all limits”.
Six Ukrainian soldiers killed, fighting rages at airport: Kiev officials
KIEV (Reuters) – Six Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in attacks by separatists in the past 24 hours, the Kiev military said on Friday as fighting raged at the international airport in the big eastern city of Donetsk.
China graft crackdown ensnares senior spy chief
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is investigating one of its top spy chiefs for corruption, the ruling Communist Party’s anti-graft watchdog said on Friday, signaling that the boldest crackdown on corruption in decades has spilled over into its powerful intel…
With Pope’s ear, Philippines president rebukes clergy over hair joke
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Friday lashed out against vocal clergy in the mostly Catholic country who have spoken out against everything from a controversial contraceptive law to his hair, or lack of it.
Russia says Ukraine troop rotation won’t help peace
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian is concerned that a rotation by Kiev of front-line forces in eastern Ukraine could undermine peace efforts, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
Austria again detains 14-year-old on suspicion of terror offences
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian police have detained a 14-year-old boy for the second time on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization, planning to travel to Syria and researching how to build bombs, a police spokesman said on Friday.
Belgium on high alert after bloody police raid
BRUSSELS/VERVIERS (Reuters) – Belgian security forces were on high alert on Friday after police killed two gunmen recently returned from Syria during one of several raids across the country against an Islamist network suspected of planning imminent att…
Thai authorities extradite man convicted over 1995 India bombing
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai authorities have extradited a man convicted of involvement in a bomb attack in India two decades ago, Thai police said on Friday, despite rights groups concerns he could be tortured back at home.
