Palestinian protesters greet Kerry’s visit
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Palestinian protesters on Friday condemned the latest efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to advance peace talks with Israel, using chants evoking the Arab uprisings and telling him to go home.
Violence in Central African Republic displaces nearly 1 million: U.N.
BANGUI (Reuters) – Violence in Central African Republic has uprooted nearly a million people, a fifth of the population, and is hampering aid efforts, particularly in the capital Bangui, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
South Sudan talks start slowly as U.S. pulls out more staff
JUBA/ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s government and rebels finally began talks to end weeks of bloodletting on Friday after days of delay as the United States ordered out more of its embassy staff.
Turkish court orders jailed Kurdish lawmakers be freed
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – A Turkish court ordered the release from jail on Friday of two Kurdish lawmakers being tried for links to militants in a potential boost to a fragile peace process.
Iraq army, tribes join forces against al Qaeda
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Dressed in black and waving al Qaeda flags, Islamist insurgents battled tribesmen for control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi on Friday, while in Fallujah they grabbed loudspeakers after weekly prayers to call for support.
Vacation list spurs New Year political fight in Venezuela
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s politicians are at each other’s throats after the government published a list of foreign trips enjoyed by opposition leaders during the Christmas and New Year holidays, saying it proved they don’t love their country.
Analysis: Mitterrand’s shadow looms as Hollande seeks to revive France
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s deeply unpopular President Francois Hollande appears to have found inspiration from his hero Francois Mitterrand, announcing an abrupt pro-business lurch in tax policy that echoes moves by his Socialist predecessor 30 years a…
Builder dies after war-era bomb explodes in Germany
EUSKIRCHEN, Germany (Reuters) – A World War Two-era bomb exploded in the German town of Euskirchen near Bonn on Friday, killing a construction worker after his mechanical digger dislodged it and injuring eight other workers.
India’s PM says to step down, backs Gandhi as successor
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ruled out on Friday serving another term after an election due by May and threw his support behind Nehru-Gandhi dynasty scion Rahul Gandhi to lead the country if their party wins the vote.
Analysis: Economy becomes liability for Turkey’s scandal-hit government
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – When a senior Turkish businessman publicly criticized the central bank this week for failing to stabilize the tumbling lira currency, he was taking aim at a pillar of support for the government: its reputation for strong economic m…
