Jailed Venezuela protest leader mocks Maduro’s talks
CARACAS (Reuters) – Jailed Venezuelan protest leader Leopoldo Lopez scoffed on Friday at President Nicolas Maduro’s efforts to open talks with opponents and businessman after a month of demonstrations and violence that have killed at least 17 people.
France striving to stop Central African Republic split, Hollande says
BANGUI (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande told the Central African Republic on Friday that his troops would work to stop the country splitting in two and endeavor to disarm rival fighters engaged in months of inter-religious killing.
Tunisian Prime Minister replaces Islamist governors ahead of election
TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisia’s prime minister replaced most state governors on Friday, bowing to a demand from secular parties to purge Islamists From key jobs before elections this year.
Chilean indigenous leader jailed in high-profile murder case
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – A court on Friday sentenced a Mapuche indigenous leader to 18 years in prison for his participation in the killing of a couple during an arson attack last year in a high-profile case that rekindled divisions over land rights in Chi…
Cuban agent released from U.S. prison gets hero’s welcome
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuban President Raul Castro and top leaders of the Cuban government and Communist Party greeted a Cuban intelligence agent with a hero’s welcome upon his return to Havana on Friday, a day after his release from a U.S. prison.
U.S. State Department official to make delayed trip to India next week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A senior official of the U.S. State Department will travel to India next week, a visit originally scheduled for January that was postponed due to a dispute over the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York.
Italy approves decree to stave off bankruptcy for Rome council
ROME (Reuters) – Matteo Renzi’s new Italian government on Friday approved an emergency decree to bail out Rome city council whose mayor had warned the capital would have to halt essential services unless it got financial help.
German court rules Auschwitz suspect, 94, unfit to stand trial
BERLIN (Reuters) – A German court ruled on Friday that a 94-year-old man was unfit to stand trial on charges of being an accessory to murder during his time as an alleged former guard at Nazi Germany’s Auschwitz death camp.
Myanmar orders aid group to stop work, patients at risk: MSF
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar has ordered Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to halt all its work in the country, leaving tens of thousands of people without vital care, the medical aid group said on Friday.
Colombian rebels want U.S. to participate in peace talks
HAVANA (Reuters) – Colombia’s FARC rebels asked for the United States to join its peace talks with the Colombian government, saying on Friday it would speed up the process because Washington was making all the important decisions anyway.
