Germany’s Russian rethink: How Merkel lost faith in Putin
BERLIN (Reuters) – On a Sunday in early March, a day after Vladimir Putin won parliamentary backing for an invasion of Ukraine, Angela Merkel called him to demand an explanation. The German leader was shaken by what she heard, sources within her party …
Saudi Arabia sentences 13 for backing militants in kingdom and abroad
RIYADH (Reuters) – A Saudi court has sentenced 13 men to up to 14 years in prison for security offences including material support to wanted Islamist militants, aiding terrorism and helping young men go to Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan to fight.
Syrian army retakes Crusader castle from rebels: state TV
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army has retaken Crac des Chevaliers, a war-damaged Crusader castle and UNESCO World Heritage site, from rebel fighters, state television said on Thursday.
Turkish PM says killing of security personnel was ‘terrorist attack’
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan described the gunning down of three members of the security forces in the southern province of Nigde on Thursday as a “nefarious terrorist attack” but did not say who was responsible.
Japan’s Abe: Hope to resume formal talks with North Korea soon
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday he hopes to resume formal talks with North Korea as soon as possible.
Defying allies, Qatar unlikely to abandon favored Syria rebels
DOHA (Reuters) – Qatar’s backing for Syrian rebels widely regarded as jihadi militants might appear a diplomatic liability at a time when global alarm about al Qaeda is on the rebound.
Israeli defense chief wounds relations with U.S. ally
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon is in hot water again with the United States for caustic criticism of his country’s main ally that has put more strain on already testy relations with the Obama administration.
EU sees big gaps in nuclear talks but Iran ‘commitment’ to deal
VIENNA (Reuters) – Positions between Iran and world powers diverge widely in some areas but Iranian negotiators seem “very committed” to reach an agreement on the country’s disputed nuclear program, a senior EU official said in an email seen by Reuters…
Town that withstood wartime siege shows the way in troubled Bosnia
GORAZDE, Bosnia (Reuters) – The people of Gorazde pride themselves on their resilience, forged during Bosnia’s 1992-95 war. Gorazde survived while other Muslim Bosniak enclaves in the country’s east, Srebrenica most notoriously, fell to separatist Serb…
Taliban suicide attack on Afghan police station kills 11
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban fighters killed at least 11 people and wounded 22 in a suicide bomb attack and gunbattle at a police station in Afghanistan’s eastern Jalalabad city early on Thursday morning, according to police and health of…
