U.S. intensifies sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States hit Russia’s largest bank, a major arms maker and arctic, deepwater and shale exploration by its biggest oil companies with new sanctions on Friday to punish Moscow for its intervention in Ukraine.
Nudge or shove? TV fracas ignites Swedish election campaign
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – It was a nudge – or an aggressive shove, depending on your politics. But it has polarized an otherwise understated campaign for Sunday’s election in Sweden.
How U.N. troops defied orders, opened fire and escaped Syrian rebels
UNITED NATIONS/MANILA (Reuters) – Early on Aug. 28, al Qaeda-linked militants fighting government forces in Syria crossed a ceasefire line in the Golan Heights on Israel’s border and seized 45 Fijians serving in a United Nations peacekeeping force.
Polls put Scottish unionists a nose ahead as vote approaches
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Supporters of keeping Scotland in the United Kingdom have clawed back a tiny lead over separatists less than a week before Scots vote in an independence referendum that is balanced on a knife edge, opinion surveys showed on Friday…
Pistorius found guilty of culpable homicide
PRETORIA (Reuters) – Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide on Friday, escaping the more serious charge of murder for the killing of his girlfriend, and will now battle to avoid going to prison.
Former U.S. Afghanistan commander to lead effort against Islamic State
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has chosen retired Marine Corps General John Allen, who served as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, to coordinate international efforts to fight Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, a U.S. offici…
Rousseff gaining on Silva in likely Brazil runoff race
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has narrowed the lead of her top challenger, Marina Silva, to one percentage point in a potential runoff vote expected to follow the Oct. 5 first-round election, an opinion poll by pollster Ibope …
Brazil’s Silva, a lifelong environmentalist, courts big agriculture
SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva, an icon of the green movement, is cozying up to old adversaries in the sugar and ethanol industry as she seeks to win over the powerful farm lobby ahead of next month’s election.
U.S. sanctions Mexican lawyers linked to Sinaloa drug cartel
WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The United States has frozen the assets of three Mexican lawyers and a real estate company allegedly linked to the international drug cartel Sinaloa, known for its violence and kidnappings.
Northern Ireland firebrand turned peacemaker Ian Paisley dies
BELFAST (Reuters) – Firebrand Protestant cleric Ian Paisley, whose unlikely alliance with bitter Catholic rivals helped to bring a belated peace to Northern Ireland, died on Friday aged 88, his family said.
