Exclusive: Defecting Assad ally reaches Istanbul: sources
DOHA/AMMAN (Reuters) – Bashar al-Assad’s former defense minister has reached Istanbul after a defection that betrays cracks in the president’s support among his own Alawite sect, opposition and diplomatic sources said on Thursday.
EU urges diplomacy on Syria, condemns ‘abhorrent’ chemical attack
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Europe’s top officials stopped short on Thursday of endorsing a U.S.-led push for a military strike against Syria in response to last month’s chemical weapons attack, and warned there could be no military solution to …
Kenya parliament votes to withdraw from ICC
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s parliament voted in favor of telling the government to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court where the country’s president and deputy face trial for crimes against humanity for violence after the…
Russia says Syrian Foreign Minister to visit Moscow on Monday
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem will travel to Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Bahraini opposition criticizes decision to set up rights court in Manama
DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahrain’s main opposition group has criticized an Arab League decision to set up a pan-Arab human rights court in Manama, saying the Gulf Arab state was the “black hole of human rights”.
BRICS states fear strike on Syria could hurt world economy: Russia
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging economies expressed concern on Thursday during talks at a Group of 20 summit that a military strike on Syria could hurt the world economy, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spok…
Berlusconi has video ready for fall of Italian government: ally
MILAN (Reuters) – Silvio Berlusconi has prepared a video message that could announce a decision to bring down Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s coalition government, one of his staunchest supporters said on Thursday.
Dozens injured in 100-car crash east of London
LONDON (Reuters) – Dozens of people were hurt, some seriously, when more than 100 cars were caught up in a huge pile-up on a bridge east of London during foggy conditions on Thursday morning.
U.S. resolution on Syria strike passes first hurdle in Senate
WASHINGTON/AMMAN (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama’s effort to win legislative backing for military strikes against Syria passed its first hurdle on Wednesday when a Senate committee voted in favor, but the narrow margin of victory showed the dep…
Iran’s foreign ministry to lead nuclear talks with world powers
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday the foreign ministry would take over future talks with world powers over Tehran’s contested nuclear program, according to the state news agency IRNA.
