Tuareg rebels killed in battle with Malian troops
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Up to three fighters from the MNLA Tuareg separatist group were killed in a clash with the Malian army in the north of the country on Friday, a security source, a U.N. spokesman and a resident said.
Turkey asks missile defence bidders to extend offers
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey has asked bidders in a missile defense system tender to extend the validity of their bids, Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz said on Friday, keeping its options open despite provisionally awarding the deal to China.
Drones kill five al-Qaeda suspects in southern Yemen
SANAA (Reuters) – Five suspected al Qaeda fighters have been killed by two drone strikes in Yemen’s southern province of Abyan, the country’s interior ministry said on Friday.
Mexico frees 61 kidnap victims held near U.S. border
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican authorities freed 61 kidnapping victims in the northern border city of Reynosa, the government said on Friday, liberating a mix of foreign nationals that included at least nine minors and one American.
Colombian presidential candidate slams Santos’ peace efforts
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Marxist FARC rebel leaders should be in a Colombian prison rather than negotiating peace with the government in Cuba, and no “terrorist” should ever be allowed into politics, opposition presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga said …
Red Cross evacuates 44 wounded from Yemen’s Dammaj
DOHA (Reuters) – The Red Cross evacuated 44 people wounded in clashes between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslim fighters in the Yemeni town of Dammaj on Friday, the second such operation in under a week, the humanitarian agency said.
U.S., Germany discuss intelligence cooperation after Merkel affair
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After disclosures that the U.S. National Security Agency tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone, Washington and Berlin are discussing new rules to govern dealings between their spy agencies, U.S. and European official…
Libyan army launches push for order in troubled Benghazi
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan’s army moved into Benghazi in eastern Libya on Friday, a show of force aimed at restoring order in the country’s second largest city, rocked by almost daily bombings and assassinations.
Lebanon starts to vaccinate 750,000 against polio after Syria outbreak
ZAHLE, Lebanon (Reuters) – Lebanon launched a massive public health initiative on Friday to vaccinate all children under five against polio, following a confirmed outbreak of the crippling disease last month in neighboring war-torn Syria.
Italy arrests Somali gang leader for kidnap, rape of migrants
PALERMO, Italy (Reuters) – Italy has arrested a Somali for kidnapping, extortion and rape against desperate Eritrean migrants in a case that shines a light into the brutal criminal gangs trafficking people into Europe from Africa, police said on Friday…