Ukraine’s Yanukovich goes on sick leave in midst of political crisis
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich went on sick leave on Thursday after a bruising session of parliament, leaving a political vacuum in a country threatened with bankruptcy and destabilized by anti-government protests.
Shared moment of silence but little headway at Syria talks
GENEVA (Reuters) – Opposing sides in Syria’s civil war stood together in silence to honor victims of the three year conflict on Thursday, but week-old peace talks were still stuck on the question of how to proceed with just one day left before they hea…
Suicide bombers storm Iraq ministry building, 24 killed
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Six suicide bombers burst into an Iraqi ministry building, took hostages and killed at least 24 people including themselves on Thursday before security forces regained control, security officials said.
Libya congress sets Feb 20 for constitution assembly vote
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya will elect an assembly on February 20 to draft a constitution intended to advance a transition to democracy more than two years after a NATO-backed uprising toppled Muammar Gaddafi, the head of the interim parliament said on T…
U.S. cancels funds for Afghan opinion polls ahead of election
KABUL (Reuters) – The United States has canceled funding for opinion polls in the run-up to Afghanistan’s presidential election, a U.S.-funded group said, after a first poll in December triggered accusations of U.S. attempts to manipulate the outcome.
Zimbabweans round on ‘fat cat’ state executives
HARARE (Reuters) – It’s not just Wall Street or London’s Square Mile where “fat cat” salaries trigger banner headlines and howls of outrage from activists and lawmakers.
UK’s Cameron unhappy newspapers still printing Snowden data leaks
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday he was unhappy that newspapers were still publishing sensitive information leaked by former U.S. intelligence operative Edward Snowden and urged them to stop.
Sandbags and security in Shi’ite Beirut after bombings
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Eight years ago Hassan Ghamlouche’s jewellery shop was gutted when Israeli jets bombarded the Hezbollah-controlled district of southern Beirut where he works.
Potatoes for a week: a South African platinum miner on strike
MERITING, South Africa (Reuters) – South African miner Venter Mulutsi has one food item in his small fridge: a bag of potatoes that he hopes will last a week.
Insight: After Syria, al Qaeda expanding in Lebanon
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Faced with recent setbacks in Iraq and Syria, al Qaeda is slowly but firmly gaining influence in Lebanon, helped by the country’s increasing sectarian violence and the turmoil caused by Syria’s civil war, sources close to the group s…
