Insight: Beheadings and spies help al Qaeda gain ground in Syria
AMMAN (Reuters) – Armed with machine guns, black-clad al Qaeda fighters drove their pick-ups calmly into the northern Syrian town and took over its imposing agriculture ministry building.
Pope to set up special committee on child sex abuse
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis is to set up a special committee to help protect children against sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, the archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, said on Thursday.
Iran acting to allow closer monitoring of nuclear program
VIENNA (Reuters) – U.N. inspectors are to visit an Iranian plant on Sunday linked to a planned heavy-water reactor that could yield nuclear bomb fuel, taking up an initial gesture by Iran to open its disputed nuclear program up to greater scrutiny.
Nigeria shuts Abuja airport after plane veers off runway
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s Abuja airport has been closed since Wednesday night after a Saudi Arabian cargo plane veered off the runway, the aviation ministry said on Thursday.
Gunmen kill U.S. teacher in Libya’s Benghazi
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Gunmen shot dead an American chemistry teacher working at an international school in the Libyan city of Benghazi, medical and security sources said on Thursday.
Local vote to test Venezuelan president’s strength
CARACAS (Reuters) – Nationwide local polls this weekend are President Nicolas Maduro’s first electoral test since taking power and will show what Venezuelans think of his socialist government’s radical response to deepening economic problems.
Hurricane Xaver batters Scotland as Germany braces for storm
BERLIN/LONDON (Reuters) – Hurricane-force winds disrupted transport and power supplies in Scotland and threatened coastal flooding in England as they closed on northern Europe in what meteorologists said could be one of the most powerful storms to hit …
Japan state secrets bill on track to become law despite protests
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese state secrets bill toughening penalties for leaks came a step closer to becoming law on Thursday when ruling parties forced it through a parliamentary panel amid protests it will muzzle the media and help cover up official …
China’s airspace zone has caused apprehension: Biden
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s new air defense identification zone over the East China Sea has caused “significant” unease in the region, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Thursday, adding he had stated Washington’s firm objection to the move during t…
Seven dead in car bomb attack on armed convoy in northern Somalia
BOSASSO, Somalia (Reuters) – Seven people were killed in a car bomb attack in northern Somalia on Thursday on an armed convoy escorting two foreigners working for a company training local security forces.
