Hundreds evacuated from besieged district of Syrian capital
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Aid agencies in Syria have evacuated hundreds of people from the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Yarmouk, a government-aligned Palestinian group said on Saturday, in a rare moment of coordination between the government and rebel forces…
Israel’s finance minister halts funds to West Bank settlements
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s finance minister halted the transfer of government funds to West Bank Jewish settlements on Saturday and ordered a probe into allegations that money meant to support municipalities had been funneled to a pro-settler polit…
Iraqi army prepares to storm militant-held Falluja
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi security forces are preparing to storm Falluja and break a month-long standoff with militants who are in control of the city, senior security officials and troops told Reuters on Saturday.
NATO chief doesn’t see Karzai signing security pact
MUNICH (Reuters) – President Hamid Karzai is unlikely to sign a pact for U.S. and NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan after 2014 and will probably leave the choice for his successor, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Saturday.
Grief-stricken Quebec town mourns victims of retirement home blaze
L’ISLE-VERTE, Quebec (Reuters) – About 900 mourners in the small grief-stricken Quebec town of L’Isle-Verte attended a public mass on Saturday for the 32 people feared dead from a fire that ripped through a wooden retirement home.
Diver dies during Costa Concordia salvage works
ROME (Reuters) – A Spanish diver died on Saturday during work to salvage the Costa Concordia cruise liner, which capsized off the Italian island of Giglio two years ago, the company in charge of the salvage work said.
U.S. to propose new U.N. rights resolution against Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (Reuters) – The United States will table a U.N. human rights resolution against Sri Lanka, a State Department official said on Saturday, putting new pressure on Colombo to address war crimes allegations.
Egypt court adjourns Mursi trial over protester deaths
CAIRO (Reuters) – A Cairo court on Saturday adjourned the trial which sees Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Mursi accused of inciting the killing of protesters, while dozens of supporters of his Muslim Brotherhood were jailed for other crimes.
Cargo ship sinks off Yemen killing 12 Indian crew
ADEN (Reuters) – A cargo ship sank off the coast of Yemen killing all 12 crew, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.
Iran’s top clergy back Rouhani’s nuclear approach
DUBAI (Reuters) – President Hassan Rouhani has secured the backing of senior conservative clerics against hardliners opposed to a nuclear deal reached with major powers, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said on Saturday.
