Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric calls for prime minister to be chosen by Tuesday
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The most influential Shi’ite cleric in Iraq called on the country’s leaders on Friday to choose a prime minister within the next four days, a dramatic political intervention that could hasten the end of Nuri al-Maliki’s eight year r…
Venezuela blackout hits much of country, seeking cause: official
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan authorities are investigating a power outage that began on Friday afternoon and was affecting a large swathe of the country, Electricity Minister Jesse Chacon told a state television news broadcaster.
Venezuela’s Maduro says government investigating power outage
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday the government was investigating problems with the electricity supply to various parts of the country minutes after power went down in several large cities in the afternoon.
Cuban boat people ordered to sail away from Caymans
GRAND CAYMAN Cayman Islands (Reuters) – A group of Cuban migrants who were anchored in an open wooden boat off the Cayman Islands for nearly two weeks obeyed a local government order to sail away on Friday, continuing their risky sea voyage in a quest …
UK’s Labour says will look at border posts with independent Scotland
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – A Scottish vote for independence may result in border checks on the boundary with England under a British Labour government, the opposition leader said on Friday, joining the ruling Conservatives in casting doubt on separatists’ h…
Nigeria police bust suspected kidnapping ring, arresting 37
ONITSHA Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigerian police have arrested 37 people in southern Nigeria’s Abia state on suspicion of being part of a major kidnapping ring, a spokesman said on Friday.
EU moves to assuage Cameron after outvoting him on Juncker
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders nominated Jean-Claude Juncker for their bloc’s most powerful job on Friday over the fierce objections of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said the decision would make it harder for him to keep Britai…
Nigeria in darkest phase of history-president at bomb site
ABUJA (Reuters) – – President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday Nigeria had entered one of the darkest phases of its history, visiting the scene of a bomb blast that had killed 21 people in an upmarket district of the capital Abuja two days earlier.
Fourteen killed in India gas pipeline blast and fire
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Fourteen people were killed and 20 injured on Friday in a blast and fire at a gas pipeline in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, again raising safety concerns over the country’s energy projects.
Central African Republic factions take step towards peace
BANGUI (Reuters) – The two main factions in the Central African Republic’s intercommunal conflict have taken a tentative step towards ending violence that has killed thousands and forced more than a million people to flee their homes.
