Government forces set to take Homs, cradle of Syrian uprising
HOMS, Syria (Reuters) – Syrian forces say they will take full control on Thursday over Homs, a city once vibrant with pro-democracy crowds but now associated with images of ruin that epitomize the brutality of Syria’s civil war.
South Sudan rebel leader on way to meet president: rebel spokesman
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar is travelling to Ethiopia and is committed to meeting President Salva Kiir there, his spokesman said on Thursday, the first confirmation that the former deputy president would attend face-to-face…
Maduro wards off ‘Venezuela Spring’ but troubles not over
CARACAS (Reuters) – A few weeks ago, Plaza Altamira in Caracas was teeming with thousands of highly-charged students baying for an end to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
Anti-Christian slogans alarm Church before Pope’s Holy Land visit
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem, preparing for a visit by Pope Francis later this month, has expressed alarm over threats to Christians scrawled by suspected Jewish extremists on church property in the Holy Land.
Venezuela arrests hundreds of youths in crackdown on protests
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan security forces on Thursday rounded up hundreds of youth activists camped in public spaces as part of protests against President Nicolas Maduro, an effort to snuff out the waning demonstration movement.
South Africa’s ANC rolls to victory, boosting Zuma reform clout
PRETORIA (Reuters) – The ruling African National Congress (ANC) swept toward victory in South Africa’s fifth post-apartheid election on Thursday, handing President Jacob Zuma the clout to push through pro-business reforms in the face of union and lefti…
India’s Modi accuses election agency of discrimination
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Opposition leader Narendra Modi sharpened his attack on India’s election authorities on Thursday, accusing them of discrimination in barring him from holding rallies to back his candidacy in the River Ganges holy city of Varanasi….
Finland’s finance minister may face ouster over party vote
HELSINKI (Reuters) – Finland’s social democrats will vote on Friday whether to oust their leader, Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen, from the party’s helm in a move that would lead to her quitting her ministerial post just as the economy is struggling….
UK says deploys a destroyer to track Russian aircraft carrier
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Thursday it had deployed a destroyer to track a Russian aircraft carrier sailing close to its coastal waters, the latest in a series of such incidents and a reminder of underlying tensions between London and Moscow.
China blames Vietnam for sea collisions, but calls for talks
BEIJING/HANOI (Reuters) – China accused Vietnam on Thursday of intentionally colliding with its ships in the South China Sea, but called for talks to end a bitter row sparked by Beijing’s parking of a giant oil rig in contested waters.
