Kidnappers in Nigeria’s Delta release three Dutch nationals: police
YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) – Kidnappers in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region released three Dutch nationals held since May 4, Anka Mustapha, a spokesman for Bayelsa state’s Joint Task Force, which includes the military and police, told Reuters on Saturday.
South Africa’s Zuma promises growth after army crackdown on protests
PRETORIA (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma promised on Saturday to push through business-friendly reforms, signaling he would use a sweeping election victory to pursue economic growth in the face of leftist opposition.
Ukraine warns of ‘abyss’ as rebel east approaches self-rule vote
MARIUPOL/SLAVIANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian leader Oleksander Turchinov warned pro-Russian eastern regions they would be stepping into the abyss if they voted for self-rule on Sunday in a referendum that has raised Western fears of a slide to ful…
Turkish PM Erdogan heckles lawyer’s speech, storms out
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan heckled the head of the country’s bar association on Saturday, accusing him of rudeness for speaking critically of the government at a judicial ceremony before storming out of the hall.
North Korea renews threat of nuclear test
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea renewed a threat on Saturday to conduct a nuclear test amid heightened concern that the reclusive state with a stockpile of missiles may set off an atomic device for the fourth time on the path to building a nuclear arsena…
Venezuela’s Maduro rails at ‘stupid’ U.S. sanctions calls
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reacted furiously to calls in the United States for punitive measures against his government for alleged rights abuses in response to three months of street protests.
Brazil deploys troops to secure borders for World Cup
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil began deploying 30,000 troops on Saturday to patrol its borders and beef up security for the World Cup soccer tournament that will kick off in 12 Brazilian cities next month, the Defense Ministry said.
Central African Republic’s Seleka rebels pick new commander, say to regroup
BANGUI (Reuters) – Central African Republic’s former Seleka rebel coalition has appointed a new army commander and plans to regroup its scattered fighters, a spokesman said on Saturday, a move that could further deepen divisions in the war-torn country…
Egypt charges 200 Islamist militants with bombings, other violence
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s public prosecutor charged 200 suspected Islamist militants on Saturday with “founding, leading and joining a terrorist organization” and launching bomb and rocket attacks across the country.
Two U.S. embassy officers involved in Yemen firefight, left Sanaa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. embassy officers shot and killed two armed people after an attempted abduction in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in April, the State Department said on Saturday.
