Italian navy rescues hundreds of children on migrant boat
ROME (Reuters) – An Italian navy patrol ship picked up a migrant boat coming from North Africa carrying 435 people including 264 children, most from Syria and Egypt, authorities said on Saturday.
Pope launches Holy Land visit with Syria peace appeal
AMMAN (Reuters) – Pope Francis made an urgent appeal for an end to Syria’s devastating civil war and an unscripted condemnation of the arms industry on Saturday at the start of his first trip to the Holy Land as pontiff.
Germany stops numerous arms exports, risks compensation fees: report
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s national security council declined two-thirds of applications for arms export licenses at its most recent sitting three weeks ago, German news weekly Spiegel said on Saturday.
Dissident Cuban website, once blocked, now accessible
HAVANA (Reuters) – An independent news website that had been blocked in Cuba since its debut on Wednesday became available to Cuban Internet users on Saturday.
Three people killed in shooting at Brussels Jewish Museum
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Two men and a woman were killed and one person seriously injured during a shooting at the Jewish Museum in central Brussels on Saturday, with Belgium’s interior minister saying anti-Semitic motives could be behind the attack.
Seven militants killed by Russian forces in North Caucasus
MOSCOW, May 24 – Seven militants in the North Caucasus province of Ingushetia were killed in a three-hour gun battle with Russian security forces after which their hide-out was consumed by fire, the Russian authorities said on Saturday.
Iran says U.N. report proves its nuclear intentions are peaceful
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran on Saturday said the latest U.N. report on its nuclear activities, which calculated it had slashed its nuclear stockpile by around 80 percent, proved its atomic program was peaceful.
Bahraini rights activist free after two years in jail
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain released one of the Arab world’s best-known activists on Saturday after he served a two-year jail sentence for his role in pro-democracy protests in the U.S.-allied kingdom, his son said and his lawyer said.
Putin accuses Britain’s Prince Charles of unroyal behavior
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Britain’s Prince Charles on Saturday of unacceptable and unroyal behavior by comparing him with Adolf Hitler over Russia’s stance in Ukraine.
Putin says Russia ready for talks with Japan over disputed islands
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia is ready for talks with Japan over disputed Pacific Islands but that Japan may not be ready for negotiations.