French FM to visit Cuba in sign of warming EU ties
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday he would soon travel to Cuba, the first such visit in 30 years and a sign of the quickening pace of improving ties between the European Union and Havana.
Israel approves 184 new settlement homes
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s Jerusalem municipality approved building plans on Wednesday for 184 new homes in two Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, land that the Palestinians want for a future state.
Mystery hemorrhagic fever kills 23 in Guinea
CONAKRY (Reuters) – An outbreak of hemorrhagic fever has killed at least 23 people in Guinea’s southeastern forest region since February when the first case was reported, health authorities in the West African nation said on Wednesday.
South Africa’s Zuma slammed for $23 million home makeover
PRETORIA (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma “benefitted unduly” from a $23 million state-funded security upgrade to his private home that included a swimming pool, cattle enclosure and amphitheatre, the public protector said on Wednesday.
Seven dead in shooting at Turkey statistics office
ANKARA (Reuters) – A worker at a Turkish statistics office in the eastern province of Kars shot dead six people before committing suicide on Wednesday, in what local media said appeared to have been a revenge attack over a professional dispute.
Putin signs Crimea treaty as Ukraine serviceman dies in attack
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Defying Ukrainian protests and Western sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty in Moscow on Tuesday making Crimea part of Russia again, but said he did not plan to seize any other regions of Ukraine.
Two Hong Kong men charged in stabbing attack on former editor
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Authorities in Hong Kong charged two men on Wednesday with wounding following last month’s stabbing of the former editor of a major newspaper.
EU, U.S. denounce China’s arrests of activists
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United States and European Union (EU) accused China on Tuesday of using arrests and harassment to silence human rights activists, also voicing consternation at the death in custody of a prominent dissident.
Lebanese army reopens road to town near Syrian border
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Lebanese army reopened a road between two towns near the Syrian border on Wednesday to try to calm sectarian rivalry aggravated by the conflict in neighboring Syria.
Israeli troops kill Palestinian teenager in the West Bank
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian youth on Wednesday in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials and the Israeli military said.