Obama, wary of foreign crises, faces East-West standoff in Ukraine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – As Russia deepened its military intervention in Ukraine’s Crimea region on Saturday, ignoring Barack Obama’s stern warning, the U.S. president faced a critical test of whether Washington has the leverage or the will to get Moscow…
Pakistani army fuels anger in securing Swat from Taliban
KHWAZAKHELA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani farmer Wazir Jamal was so upset about being forced off his patch of land to make way for an army base in the Swat Valley that he killed himself, family and friends say.
Militant ambush kills 12 of polio workers escort in Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Militants killed 12 members of the security escort for a polio vaccination team in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, detonating a roadside bomb before opening fire on their convoy, according to officials.
Bomb kills at least 10 in northeast Nigerian city: witnesses
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – At least 10 people were killed on Saturday when a bomb exploded in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, witnesses said, in a region where the Islamist sect Boko Haram is pursuing a bloody insurgency.
Turkish parliament votes to shut schools run by Erdogan rival
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament has voted to close private preparatory schools, many of which are a source of income and influence for an Islamic cleric accused by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of covertly seeking to topple him.
Venezuela foreign minister to meet Ban Ki-moon in Geneva
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela said on Saturday its foreign minister will meet United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva on Tuesday amid growing international calls for dialogue between political players to ease the OPEC nation’s worst unre…
Iraq death toll exceeds 700 in February: U.N.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – More than 700 people died in violence in Iraq in February, not including nearly 300 reported deaths in western Anbar province, where security forces have been battling Sunni Muslim rebels since January, the United Nations said on Sa…
Pakistani Taliban announces ceasefire to revive peace talks
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – The Pakistani Taliban on Saturday announced a one-month ceasefire aimed at reviving peace talks after receiving what it said were government assurances it would not be attacked.
Macedonia poised for early parliamentary vote after ruling coalition spat
SKOPJE (Reuters) – Macedonia is set to call early parliamentary elections in a bid to end a political deadlock sparked by the two main ruling coalition members’ failure to agree on a candidate for the upcoming presidential vote, officials said on Satur…
Pakistan court convicts five of reporter’s murder in landmark case
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – A Pakistani court convicted five men on Saturday of murdering a young television reporter, his brother said, marking the first time anyone has been convicted for killing a Pakistani journalist.