Tuareg separatists beat back Mali offensive in flashpoint town
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Tuareg separatists repulsed an attempt by Mali’s army to take control of their stronghold of Kidal and seized another northern town on Wednesday, setbacks that could potentially embarrass President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government…
Russia says troops pulling back from Ukraine border
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday that troops deployed for exercises near the Ukrainian border had dismantled equipment and were moving to train stations and airfields for return to their permanent bases, but the United States and NATO said t…
Venezuela’s efforts to resolve crisis ‘total failure’: Kerry
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Impatience with the Venezuelan government is growing over its “total failure” to show good faith in talks to resolve the country’s political crisis, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.
U.N. nuclear agency says Iran agrees to address bomb probe issues
VIENNA (Reuters) – A long-stalled U.N. probe into suspected atomic bomb research by Iran took a potentially important step forward this week when Tehran agreed to address questions about explosives and other activity that the West says could help it bu…
One killed, six wounded in bomb attack on Egyptian security vehicle
CAIRO (Reuters) – One Egyptian was killed and six others were injured in a bomb attack on Wednesday on a security vehicle in Egypt’s lawless Sinai Peninsula, near the border with Israel, security sources said.
Nigerian Islamists extend killing spree in northeast: police
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, May 21 – Suspected Nigerian Islamist militants killed 17 people in a remote northeastern village on Tuesday night, hours after a bomb killed 118 people in the central city of Jos, police said on Wednesday.
No sign yet of missing British sailors: U.S. Coast Guard
BOSTON (Reuters) – Planes and ships from the United States, Canada, and Britain have turned up no fresh signs of four British sailors missing in the Atlantic, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday, adding search efforts would continue.
Impatience growing over Venezuela’s attitude to crisis: Kerry
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Impatience with Venezuela’s government is growing over its “total failure” to demonstrate good faith in talks over resolving the crisis there, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.
Iranians arrested for ‘Happy’ video freed: social media
DUBAI (Reuters) – Six Iranians arrested for appearing in a video singing along to an American pop song were released on Wednesday, one day after being detained for what police called their “obscene” behavior, one of them said in an online posting.
U.S. VP Biden visits divided Cyprus, urges a peace deal
NICOSIA (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited ethnically-split Cyprus on Wednesday to lend support to complex peace talks on an island which has the potential to play an important role in easing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.
