Colombian government, rebels move closer to peace deal
HAVANA/BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s FARC rebels reached an agreement with the government on eliminating the illegal drug trade and called a weeklong ceasefire on Friday, giving a political boost to President Juan Manuel Santos in his re-election bid.
Venezuela president urges re-start of political dialogue
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged opposition leaders on Friday to return to political talks intended to stem unrest around the country or face the “repudiation” of the nation.
Libya closes Benghazi airport due to fighting – director
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan authorities closed the airport in the eastern city of Benghazi on Friday because of fighting between irregular forces of the self-declared Libyan National Army and Islamist militants, the airport’s director said.
Libyan militia clashes with Islamists in Benghazi, 19 killed
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan irregular forces backed by helicopters clashed with Islamist militias in Benghazi on Friday in fighting that left at least 19 people dead and posed a new test to the fragile government.
India’s pro-business Modi storms to historic election win
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Narendra Modi thundered to victory on Friday in India’s election, trouncing the ruling Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in a seismic political shift that gives the Hindu nationalist and his party a mandate for sweeping economic reform.
Proposed Dominican Republic immigration law gets mixed reaction
SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) – Proposed legislation offering a path to citizenship for tens of thousands of Dominican-born children of immigrants met mixed reactions on Friday from human rights groups, with some saying it does not protect enough people who …
Chile probing reports that priest stole babies for adoption
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s child welfare service is investigating reports that a Catholic priest was involved in giving babies up for adoption in the 1970s and 1980s without their parents’ knowledge, telling the biological mothers that their child ha…
Algeria unveils Bouteflika constitutional reform package
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s government on Friday released details of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s constitutional reform package that includes delegating more authority to the prime minister and more powers for opposition parties in parliament.
Turkish police fire tear gas in town mourning dead miners
SOMA, Turkey (Reuters) – Riot police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse several thousand protesters on Friday in a Turkish mining town still grieving the death of some 300 workers in the nation’s worst ever industrial disaster.
Twelve killed as Libyan militia clashes with Islamists in Benghazi
BENGHAZI (Reuters) – Libyan irregular forces backed by helicopters clashed with Islamist militias in Benghazi on Friday in fighting that left at least 12 people dead and posed a new test to the country’s fragile government.
