Western ally against al Qaeda faces few rivals in Mauritanian poll
NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) – Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, a key ally of the West in the fight against al Qaeda in West Africa, will face a boycott-weakened field of just six challengers in a presidential election on June 21.
Randgold hopes giant Kibali mine will transform northeast Congo
DOKO, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – The open pit of the giant Kibali mine in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a yawning beige crater punched in dense forest, could turn a remote corner of one of the world’s poorest countries into a…
Egypt’s Sisi lowers expectations for change
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptians should not expect instant democracy or rapid economic reforms, but should pull together for shared sacrifice. That is the sober message being delivered by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the general who toppled Egypt’s first freely-el…
Africa must work harder to reduce inequality: Annan
LONDON (Reuters) – African governments should work harder to reduce inequality that has prevented the benefits of a decade of economic growth from being spread equitably, according to a report by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan released on Thu…
Syrian rebels blow up Aleppo hotel used by army
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian rebels detonated a huge bomb underneath an Aleppo hotel used by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces on Thursday, destroying it and damaging other buildings on the edge of the city’s medieval citadel.
Colombian peace talks at stake in presidential election
VILLAVICENCIO, Colombia (Reuters) – Peace talks to end five decades of war are on the line in Colombia’s election this month with President Juan Manuel Santos fighting for a second term while opponents accuse him of giving up too much to Marxist rebels…
Government forces set to take Homs, cradle of Syrian uprising
HOMS, Syria (Reuters) – Syrian forces say they will take full control on Thursday over Homs, a city once vibrant with pro-democracy crowds but now associated with images of ruin that epitomize the brutality of Syria’s civil war.
South Sudan rebel leader on way to meet president: rebel spokesman
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar is travelling to Ethiopia and is committed to meeting President Salva Kiir there, his spokesman said on Thursday, the first confirmation that the former deputy president would attend face-to-face…
Maduro wards off ‘Venezuela Spring’ but troubles not over
CARACAS (Reuters) – A few weeks ago, Plaza Altamira in Caracas was teeming with thousands of highly-charged students baying for an end to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
Anti-Christian slogans alarm Church before Pope’s Holy Land visit
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem, preparing for a visit by Pope Francis later this month, has expressed alarm over threats to Christians scrawled by suspected Jewish extremists on church property in the Holy Land.
