Ukraine readies plan against rebels; Germany, France press Putin
KIEV/DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) – Ukrainian forces regained more ground but sustained further casualties on Thursday in clashes with separatists, while two Western allies urged Russia’s Vladimir Putin to exert more pressure on the rebels to find a negot…
Gaza dead reach 78 as Israelis hint at invasion
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – At least 78 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive, Palestinian officials said on Thursday as militants in the enclave kept up rocket attacks on Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities….
Kerry arrives in Afghanistan to broker resolution in disputed election
KABUL (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Afghanistan on Friday for talks in an effort to broker a resolution to a disputed election that threatens to stir up ethnic tensions and undermine a peaceful political transition.
Crime spree helps Pakistani Taliban squirrel away cash before raids begin
PESHAWAR Pakistan (Reuters) – In the months before Pakistan jets began pounding Taliban hideouts in the lawless border region near Afghanistan, militants were busily conducting an unprecedented wave of kidnapping and extortion, stockpiling cash for the…
Kerry, ministers to join Iran nuclear talks in Vienna: official
PRAGUE (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers from the six powers negotiating with Iran on its nuclear programme will travel to Vienna this weekend to help break the logjam in the talks, a senior Western official said on T…
Libya prepares to move parliament to Benghazi
BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) – Libyan authorities signaled on Thursday they would press ahead with plans to move the country’s parliament to the eastern port city of Benghazi despite a collapse in law and order there.
Police rescue 165 kidnapped migrants in Mexican border state
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican state police rescued 165 migrants who had been kidnapped while traveling to the United States in the crime-ridden border state of Tamaulipas, authorities said on Thursday.
Brazil’s Rousseff lets Obama off the hook for NSA spying
BRASILIA (Reuters) – President Dilma Rousseff said the Obama administration was not directly responsible for U.S. spying on Brazil and has taken steps toward smoothing over the diplomatic tensions set off by espionage disclosures last year.
Berlin tells CIA station chief to leave in spy scandal
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany told the CIA station chief in Berlin to leave the country on Thursday in a dramatic display of anger from Chancellor Angela Merkel at the behaviour of a close ally after officials unearthed two suspected U.S. spies.
World cities, home to most people, to add 2.5 billion more by 2050: U.N.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – More than half of the world’s seven billion people live in urban areas, with the top “mega cities” – with more than 10 million inhabitants – being Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai, Mexico City and Sao Paulo, according to a United Natio…
