U.N. analysis of Syria samples could take up to two weeks: envoy
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the five permanent Security Council members that it may be two weeks before for final results are ready of an analysis of samples experts collected at the site of a chemical weapons att…
Mexico leftist vows to block reforms, warns oil firms
CATEMACO, Mexico (Reuters) – Fiery Mexican leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has vowed to stop the government’s energy and tax reforms and hopes to lead even bigger protests than when he brought central Mexico City to a standstill after narrowly losi…
Venezuela sentences man who shot U.S. attaches at strip club
CARACAS (Reuters) – A Venezuelan man has been sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison for shooting and wounding two U.S. military attaches at a strip club in the capital, the attorney general’s office said on Friday.
Syria says U.S. accusations were ‘lies and baseless’
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria said on Friday that accusations by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that it has used chemical weapons were “lies and baseless.”
Obama says Syria chemical weapons attack threatens Israel, Jordan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Friday the chemical weapons attack in Syria threatened U.S. allies Israel, Turkey and Jordan and that while “nobody ends up being more war weary than me” he is considering a narrow, limited U.S. res…
Iraqi militia vowes to attack U.S. interests if Syria hit
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – An Iraqi Shi’ite militia group said on Friday it would attack U.S. interests in Iraq and the region if Washington carries out a military strike on Syria.
U.N. experts prepare to leave Syria, chemical probe needs time
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A team of U.N. investigators has finished gathering evidence related to a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of people in suburbs near Damascus last week, but will need time to complete its analysis, the w…
Assad’s forces try to capture gassed Damascus suburb: activists
AMMAN (Reuters) – President Bashar al-Assad’s forces fired rocket barrages on Friday at a Damascus suburb hit by nerve gas last week, in another attempt to capture the strategic town ahead of a possible U.S. strike, opposition activists said.
Exclusive – Syria army defectors say U.S. strikes could kill Assad opponents
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) – Military sites in Syria are packed with soldiers who have been effectively imprisoned by their superiors due to doubts about their loyalty, ex-soldiers say, making them possible casualties in any U.S.-led air strikes.
Turkish PM says Syria intervention should aim to end Assad rule
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that any international military intervention against Syria should be aimed at bringing an end to the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.