Armed clashes in east as Ukraine counts down to election
KIEV/KARLOVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) – Armed pro-Russian separatists and a Ukrainian militia group clashed in the east of Ukraine on Friday, leaving at least two dead and heightening tension before a presidential election called to draw a line under six mo…
Vote will force British PM to get tougher with EU, UKIP party leader says
BASILDON, England (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron will be forced to step up his drive to claw back powers from the European Union to head off a challenge to his leadership after losing votes to the anti-EU UK Independence Party, its le…
Grillo stages huge rally, aiming to surprise in Italy’s EU vote
ROME (Reuters) – Comic Beppe Grillo drew tens of thousands to a Rome rally on Friday, showing the potential of his anti-establishment 5-Star Movement to surprise in Sunday’s European vote as it did in the national election last year.
Venezuela protests not over, vows hardline Maduro foe
CARACAS (Reuters) – A wave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government in Venezuela will not let up and foreign sanctions could be useful, a hardline opposition leader said on Friday.
U.S., European allies express concern over Libya violence
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and European allies on Friday expressed deep concern over mounting violence in Libya and warned that the country stood “at a crossroads” between pursuing a peaceful political transition or facing chaos, fragment…
Merkel speaks out for U.S.-EU trade agreement
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel tried on Friday to allay German fears about a proposed U.S.-EU trade pact, telling a group of business leaders that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could stimulate grow…
Islamist militant leader in Egypt’s Sinai killed: security sources
CAIRO (Reuters) – A militant Islamist leader in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula was shot dead on Friday by unknown assailants, security sources said, a few days before Egyptians vote for a new president.
Putin signals he will work with Ukraine leader, but blasts U.S.
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin appeared to hold out an olive branch on Friday by suggesting he will work with whomever is elected Ukraine’s next president and calling for better ties with the West.
Italy struggles to turn page on corruption
MILAN, Italy (Reuters) – They usually met in Milan although on Wednesdays they lunched in Rome. But for the seven men arrested on suspicion of corruption, the menu was always the same, prosecutors said: alleged bribes to obtain building contracts for I…
Kerry agrees to testify to U.S. House committee on Benghazi: letter
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry has agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on its investigation into the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, according to a State Department letter obtaine…
