Syria can meet target for chemical disarmament: mission chief
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria could ship out its remaining chemical weapons within a month and still meet a mid-year target for their final destruction, the head of an international mission overseeing the delayed disarmament operation said on Friday.
U.S., Poland look at widening activities at Polish air base
WARSAW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and Poland are looking at the possibility of including other NATO member states from eastern Europe in joint aviation activities at a Polish air base, a U.S. military official said on Friday.
Missing radioactive material may pose ‘dirty bomb’ threat: IAEA
VIENNA (Reuters) – About 140 cases of missing or unauthorized use of nuclear and radioactive material were reported to the U.N. atomic agency in 2013, highlighting the challenges facing world leaders at a nuclear security summit next week.
Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes off India’s Nicobar Islands: USGS
PORT BLAIR, India (Reuters) – A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Cyprus defense minister critical after brain hemorrhage
NICOSIA (Reuters) – Cyprus’s defense minister was in an “exceptionally critical condition” in hospital on Friday after suffering a massive brain hemorrhage, doctors said.
‘Ghost’ Malian refugees show abuse of U.N. registration system
GOUDEBOU, Burkina Faso, March 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – T he United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) counted up to three times the actual number of people fleeing conflict in Mali, data from camps in neighboring West African nations has shown, ra…
Rio asks for federal troops after gangs attack police in slums
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Rio de Janeiro’s state governor called for the dispatch of federal troops on Friday to help quell a surge in violent crime following attacks by drug traffickers on police posts in three slums on the north side of the city.
Italy rescues more than 4,000 migrants, operations ongoing
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s navy has rescued more than 4,000 migrants from overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily in the past four days and several other rescue operations are still going on, officials said on Friday.
EU, China end wine dispute ahead of Xi’s European tour
BEIJING/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – China and the European Union have reached a deal to end a dispute over European wine exports to China, the latest sign of improving ties and just days before China’s president visits Europe.
Libya’s Tripoli airport closed after rockets hit runway
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libyan authorities closed the airport in the capital Tripoli on Friday after rockets hit a runway on Friday, officials said.