Australian wildfires kill one, destroy 100 homes near Sydney
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Wildfires claimed one life and destroyed at least 100 homes near Sydney, Australia’s biggest city, after forcing thousands to evacuate their homes, and authorities warned on Friday more homes could be lost as fires burned out of cont…
Snowden says he took no secret files to Russia: New York Times
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden said he did not bring any of the documents he took from the agency with him to Russia, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
Ethiopian police torture political detainees: Human Rights Watch
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopian police investigators in Addis Ababa’s main detention center have tortured political detainees and regularly mistreat people in custody to extract confessions, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Friday.
Angolan troops enter Congo Republic, seize soldiers: officer
BRAZZAVILLE (Reuters) – A detachment of Angolan troops crossed into neighboring Congo Republic earlier this week and has detained a group of Congolese soldiers, a senior Congolese officer said on Thursday.
Guinea opposition secures key seat in tense parliament vote
CONAKRY (Reuters) – Guinea’s election authorities on Thursday declared an opposition politician winner of the country’s most hotly contested parliamentary seat, a result that should ease tensions and is likely to deny the ruling party of an outright ma…
Russia, U.S. deny date set for Syria peace conference
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A senior Syrian official said on Thursday that a long-delayed international conference aimed at ending his country’s civil war was scheduled for November 23-24, but co-organizers Russia and the United States said no date had been set…
Police arrest 40 as Canada shale gas protest turns violent
(Reuters) – Police in the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick arrested about 40 people on Thursday after efforts to dismantle a highway barricade turned violent and protesters against shale gas exploration set several police vehicles on fire.
Nuclear deal with Iran not close: senior Western diplomat
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A senior western diplomat cautioned on Thursday that any breakthrough in diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program was not “close”, seeking to dampen expectations the next round of talks on November 7-8 could lead to a deal.
Spate of attacks on Shi’ite Muslims kills 59 people in Iraq
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – Attacks on Shi’ite Muslims killed at least 59 people across Iraq on Thursday, including a suicide truck bomb targeting members of the country’s Shabak minority, police and medics said.
Obama, Italy’s Letta compare notes on budget woes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama and Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta congratulated each other on Thursday for surviving extended budget crises and pledged to work together to advance U.S.-EU trade talks and address security issues.
