U.S. urges South Sudan to free last detainees to secure peace
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – The United States called on South Sudan on Thursday to release the last four of a group of detainees held on suspicion of trying to stage a coup, a move that could clear a major sticking point in talks to end weeks of fighting.
Russia says identifies bombers, arrests two in Volgograd blasts
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has identified two suicide bombers responsible for attacks that killed 34 people in the city of Volgograd last month and arrested two suspected accomplices in the violence-torn Dagestan province, officials said on Thursday.
Ireland PM apologizes for schoolgirl abuse case
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny apologized on Thursday to a woman who suffered sexual abuse by a teacher while at a Catholic-run school in 1973, after a European court ruled the state had failed to protect her.
Insight: Fight for Istanbul likely to shape Turkish political landscape
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Immaculately coiffed with a camera-ready smile, Mustafa Sarigul’s composure cracks a little as his campaign bus swings towards Istanbul’s old city walls.
Feud tarnishes reputation of Turkey’s Erdogan, Gulen: survey
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s feud with U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen has damaged the reputation of both, but Erdogan’s party would still win an election if one were called this weekend, a survey showed on Thursd…
Russia to await new Ukraine government before fully implementing rescue: Putin
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin raised the pressure on Ukraine on Wednesday, saying Russia would wait until it forms a new government before fully implementing a $15 billion bailout deal that Kiev urgently needs.
Thai army to deploy more troops amid warning of poll violence
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s army will increase the number of troops in the capital ahead of Sunday’s election, it said on Thursday, as the government warned it might not be able to contain violence if anti-government protesters try to stop people vo…
U.S.: Afghanistan can’t ‘keep deferring’ decision on security pact
ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT (Reuters) – The United States and its allies cannot continue to put off decisions about a post-2014 mission in Afghanistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said, urging Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign a pact allowing…
Bangladesh court sentences 14 to death over 2004 arms smuggling
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (Reuters) – A Bangladeshi court sentenced to death on Thursday 14 people including an Islamist party leader, a former security agency chief and a former deputy government minister for involvement in the country’s biggest ever arm…
Damascus detainees languish while Syria envoys talk
DAMASCUS (Reuters) – It was three in the afternoon when Lulu’s phone stopped working somewhere in east Damascus near the Air Force Intelligence building, one of Syria’s most feared security agencies.
