Merkel and leftist rivals test ground for coalition
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD) dug in their heels on Monday over the introduction of a minimum wage ahead of a second round of exploratory talks with Angela Merkel’s conservatives on forming a ‘grand coalition’ governme…
Russia denies bail for Greenpeace U.S. captain, foreign activist
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia denied bail on Monday to the American captain of a Greenpeace ship and another activist who are among 30 environmentalists arrested on charges of piracy over a protest at an Arctic drilling platform.
Some aid workers freed in Syria, risks to humanitarian effort grow
BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) – Four of seven aid workers abducted in Syria have been freed, the Red Cross said on Monday, but there was no word on the fate of the rest of the group whose kidnapping highlights the risk to continuing humanitarian work in a co…
Al Qaeda: September attack targeted joint Yemeni-U.S. drone base
DUBAI (Reuters) – The Yemen-based branch of al Qaeda said on Monday its attack on a Yemeni army base last month targeted an operations room used by the United States to direct drone strikes against militants, and it threatened more such assaults.
France’s Hollande: Central African Republic troubles could spill over
PRETORIA (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande said on Monday the collapse of the Central African Republic could destabilize the region, as he sought to drum up support for increased military intervention while on a state visit to South Africa…
Sole opposition MP says Ethiopia bottling up strife
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Girma Seifu Maru, Ethiopia’s sole opposition politician in a 547-seat parliament, says the authorities risk provoking social unrest if they do not offer more political space to critical voices.
China denounces Spanish court’s Tibet case against ex-president
BEIJING (Reuters) – China denounced on Monday a decision by a Spanish criminal court to indict former Chinese president Hu Jintao for genocide as part of an investigation into whether his government committed abuses in Tibet.
Kerry says Syria peace conference should be held soon
LONDON (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry called on Monday for a peace conference on Syria “very soon” but said peace would not be possible without a transition government to replace President Bashar al-Assad.
UK court throws out Russian Magnitsky libel case
LONDON (Reuters) – London’s High Court on Monday threw out a libel suit brought against British investment fund manager Bill Browder by a Russian former police officer who denies allegations that he played a part in the death of the lawyer Sergei Magni…
Iran hopeful Geneva talks can lead to ‘nuclear roadmap’
DUBAI (Reuters) – Foreign Minister and chief negotiator Mohammad Javad Zarif voiced hope Iran and world powers can agree at talks this week on a roadmap towards defusing the stand-off over Tehran’s nuclear activity, but warned the process would be comp…
