Islamist insurgents attack north Nigerian barracks
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Soldiers fought off Islamist insurgents who attempted to free captured comrades from a military barracks in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Friday, the military said.
Jordanians rally to demand closure of Israeli embassy over judge’s killing
AMMAN (Reuters) – Jordanians demonstrated on Friday to urge the government to shut the Israeli embassy and scrap its unpopular peace treaty with the Jewish state after a Jordanian judge was shot dead by an Israeli soldier at a border crossing.
French air strikes kill wanted Islamist militant ‘Red Beard’ in Mali
BAMAKO (Reuters) – French air strikes in northern Mali have killed Islamist militant Oumar Ould Hamaha, a jihadist with a $3 million U.S. government bounty on his head, Malian military sources said on Friday.
France urges Algeria to respect basic freedoms ahead of elections
PARIS (Reuters) – France urged Algeria on Friday to respect the right to peaceful demonstrations and free expression after Algerian police stopped an opposition march this week ahead of presidential elections.
Turkey vows to protect Ottoman tomb in northern Syria from rebels
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey threatened on Friday to retaliate for any attack on the tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, in an area of northern Syria largely controlled by militant Islamists.
Nearly two dozen killed in attacks across Pakistan despite talks
PESHAWSAR/QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Attacks in the volatile Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta killed a total of 19 people on Friday, frustrating hopes of a lasting peace deal with insurgents fighting to topple the government.
France says EU shirking duty to Central African Republic
PARIS (Reuters) – France said on Friday the European Union was shirking its responsibilities for international security after an EU plan to send up to 1,000 troops to Central African Republic next week seemed to be about to collapse.
Syrian presidential election law excludes most opposition leaders
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria’s parliament has set residency rules for presidential candidates, state media said on Friday, a move that would bar many of President Bashar al-Assad’s foes who live in exile as the uprising in the major Arab state enters its f…
Al Qaeda splinter group in Syria leaves two provinces – activists
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An al Qaeda splinter group in Syria pulled out of two provinces in the country’s northwest on Friday and headed to its eastern strongholds after months of clashes with rival rebels, activists said.
Hugely popular Jakarta governor named as Indonesia presidential candidate
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s main opposition PDI-P party named Jakarta governor Joko Widodo as its presidential candidate on Friday, the man widely seen as a shoo-in to be next leader of the world’s third-largest democracy.
