For Fiji’s military rulers, U.N. peacekeeping a useful mask
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The capture of U.N. peacekeeping soldiers from Fiji in the Golan Heights last week has shone a light on a quiet export industry that has for decades drummed up cash for the Pacific nation and polished the tattered image of its milita…
Swedish opposition lead stable, Feminists clear parliament threshold-poll
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s center-left opposition parties’ lead over the governing coalition was stable in the past week and the Social Democrats, Green and Left parties would get 48.1 percent of votes if an election were held now, an opinion poll …
In northeast Syria, Islamic State builds a government
BEIRUT (Reuters) – In the cities and towns across the desert plains of northeast Syria, the ultra-hardline al Qaeda offshoot Islamic State has insinuated itself into nearly every aspect of daily life.
U.N. chief tries to kick-start sagging enthusiasm for climate deal
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon this month hopes to reinvigorate the years-long effort to forge a global climate deal, even as concerns grow over whether the final pact will be rigorous enough to address threa…
Brazil polls show Silva surge halted ahead of October election
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has gained some ground against opposition candidate Marina Silva whose surge in voter support for the October elections has ended, two new polls showed on Wednesday.
NATO shakes up Russia strategy over Ukraine crisis
NEWPORT Wales (Reuters) – NATO will bolster its eastern defenses and buttress support for Kiev at a summit starting on Thursday, prompted by the Ukraine crisis to enact the most radical shift in its strategy towards Russia since the end of the Cold War…
U.N. denies Golan peacekeepers ordered to hand arms to Syria rebels
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. peacekeeping chief strongly denied on Wednesday allegations from the Philippines’ army chief that Filipino peacekeepers in the Golan Heights were ordered to surrender their weapons to Islamist militants who had trapp…
Venezuela reshuffles cabinet, backs away from economic shake-up
CARACAS (Reuters) – President Nicolas Maduro has reshuffled his cabinet in a bid to boost his popularity but shows no sign of revamping Venezuela’s troubled economy, meaning prospects of gasoline price hikes and a unification of Byzantine currency cont…
Brazil poll says Rousseff rebounds, still seen losing Oct runoff
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has narrowed opposition candidate Marina Silva’s lead in a likely runoff in October’s election to seven percentage points from nine last week, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday.
Top Colombian general says rebels will be defeated if no peace deal
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s military will not stand in the way of a peace deal between the government and leftist rebels, but would defeat the guerrillas on the battlefield if an accord fell through, the head of the armed forces said on Wednesday.
