Once-defiant Venezuelan TV goes quiet amid opposition protests
CARACAS (Reuters) – Twelve years after they played a key role in a coup, Venezuelan television networks have so heavily scaled back their coverage of anti-government protests that critics are decrying a “media blackout” that helps the government cling …
New fighting in Central African Republic blocks U.N. visit
BANGUI (Reuters) – Heavy fighting erupted near the airport in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Wednesday, as Christian militia tried to block the evacuation of Muslims and disrupted a visit by a top United Nations aid official, witnesses sa…
Less than a third of Scots plan to vote for independence: poll
LONDON (Reuters) – Just under one-third (29 percent) of Scots plan to vote for independence in this year’s referendum, according to a poll on Thursday that also found 42 percent intended to vote against.
Ukraine President agrees truce with opponents as West prepares sanctions
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said late on Wednesday that he had agreed a “truce” with opposition leaders after 26 people were killed in street clashes, ahead of meetings with EU foreign ministers who are threatening to impose …
Exclusive: Moldovan, Georgian leaders to visit U.S. – congressional aides
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The leaders of Georgia and Moldova are due to visit Washington in the next two weeks, congressional aides said on Wednesday, in what appears to be an effort to show U.S. support for Russia’s neighbors amid the violent political c…
Venezuela unrest kills fifth person, Lopez faces court
CARACAS (Reuters) – A local beauty queen died of a bullet wound on Wednesday in the fifth fatality from Venezuela’s political unrest, as imprisoned protest leader Leopoldo Lopez urged supporters to keep fighting for the departure of the socialist gover…
Islamists kill 47 in attack in northeast Nigeria: police
MAIDUGURI (Reuters) – Gunmen from Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist group attacked the northeastern town of Bama on Wednesday, opening fire on a school, shooting or burning to death 47 people and trashing the palace of a traditional ruler, officials and wi…
U.N. may extend eased Somalia arms embargo despite concerns: diplomats
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council is unlikely to fully restore a decades-old arms embargo on Somalia, despite concerns about the possible diversion of weapons to al Qaeda-linked militants, but may extend eased restrictions on governm…
Iran, powers seek to agree basis for final nuclear deal
VIENNA (Reuters) – Six world powers and Iran appeared to make some progress at a second day of talks in Vienna on Wednesday to hammer out an agenda for reaching an ambitious final settlement to the decade-old standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Kerry, Abbas meet at ‘important point’ in talks, U.S. says
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met for dinner on Wednesday at what the United States called “an important point in the negotiations” over an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
