Russia link and Le Pen dynasty mark French National Front congress
LYON, France (Reuters) – France’s far-right National Front re-elected its leader Marine Le Pen with a 100 percent mandate on Sunday at a party congress marked by closer ties to Russia and the rise of a new generation of the Le Pen dynasty.
Germany says 300 jihadists facing trial, anti-terrorism laws working
BERLIN (Reuters) – Nearly 300 people are facing prosecution in Germany for supporting Islamic State (IS), German Justice Minister Heiko Maas has said, adding that it was a sign that anti-terrorism laws were working and tougher legislation was not neede…
Thirty U.S.-led strikes hit Islamic State in Syria’s Raqqa: monitoring group
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A U.S.-led coalition carried out at least 30 air strikes in Syria against Islamic State militants in the northern province of Raqqa on Saturday, a monitoring group said.
Khamenei tells Iran armed forces to build up ‘irrespective’ of diplomacy
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday the armed forces should increase their combat capability regardless of political considerations, in an apparent allusion to continuing nuclear talks with the West aimed at ea…
Russians march through Moscow to protest healthcare reforms
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Over a thousand Russians marched through central Moscow on Sunday to protest against reforms to the healthcare system and to demand better wages and working conditions for doctors.
Colombian president says rebels free hostages including general
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Marxist FARC rebels had freed an army general and two others on Sunday, paving the way for peace talks to resume in the quest to end five decades of conflict.
Canada’s Jean chosen to lead organization of Francophone states
DAKAR (Reuters) – Canadian candidate Michaelle Jean, a former governor general of Canada, was chosen as the next head of the international organization of Francophone nations (OIF) at a summit in Senegal on Sunday, the OIF said in a statement.
Pope says Islamist violence in Syria and Iraq is ‘grave sin against God’
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Pope Francis said Islamic militants were carrying out a “profoundly grave sin against God” in Syria and Iraq, calling on Sunday for inter-religious dialogue and action against poverty to help end the conflicts there.
China’s Xinjiang passes rules, plans fines to curb unrest: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Xinjiang region has banned the practice of religion in government buildings and will fine those who use the Internet to ‘undermine national unity’, in a package of regulations aimed at combating separatism in the north-weste…
Central African militia says to lay down arms, become political party
DAKAR (Reuters) – The ‘anti-balaka’ militia in Central African Republic, formed in response to abuses by mostly Muslim rebels who seized power last year, said it would lay down its weapons and become a political movement.
