G7 powers meet without Russia in summit snub over Ukraine
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The world’s leading industrialized nations meet without Russia for the first time in 17 years on Wednesday, leaving President Vladimir Putin out of the talks in retaliation for his seizure of Crimea and Russia’s part in destabilizi…
Ukraine army targets separatists in new offensive in east
DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Fighting raged in eastern Ukraine for the second straight day on Tuesday as the army rolled out an offensive against pro-Russia separatists holding the city of Slaviansk, with dead and wounded on both sides.
North Korea says U.S., South Korea smear it to hide own rights abuses
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – South Korea and the United States are waging a smear campaign against North Korea to distract from their own records of human rights abuses, Pyongyang has complained to the United Nations, warning that “curses, like chickens,…
U.S., citing new hope for Somalia, to name Somalia ambassador
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States, seeing new hope for Somalia, will appoint a new ambassador to Mogadishu for the first time since closing its embassy there 23 years ago as the East African country descended into chaos, a senior U.S. government…
U.S. presses allies to raise defense spending after Ukraine
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urged NATO allies on Tuesday to raise their defense budgets due to the Ukraine crisis, saying a spending slide could pose as big a threat to the alliance’s future as any enemy.
Outgoing Libyan PM Thinni to stay for now after rival takes office
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Outgoing Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni said he was still running the government on Tuesday, a day after the new premier Ahmed Maiteeq seized the government leader’s main office in a power struggle.
Turkey’s Erdogan calls CNN reporter ‘agent’ for his coverage of protests
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called CNN correspondent Ivan Watson a “flunky” and an “agent” for his coverage of anti-government protests days after police harassed him live on air.
Syrians vote in wartime election set to extend Assad’s rule
DAMASCUS (Reuters) – Syrians voted on Tuesday in an election expected to deliver an overwhelming victory for President Bashar al-Assad but which his opponents have dismissed as a charade in the midst of Syria’s devastating civil war.
Sisi won 96.91 percent in Egypt’s presidential vote-commission
CAIRO (Reuters) – Former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won 96.91 percent in Egypt’s presidential vote last week, the election commission said on Tuesday, confirming interim results that had given him a landslide victory.
Merkel eyes IMF’s Lagarde for EU Commission chief: sources
PARIS (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel has asked France whether it would be willing to put forward International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde as president of the European Commission, two French sources briefed on the exchanges said….
