Polish government’s majority cut again after MP quits
WARSAW (Reuters) – The Polish ruling coalition had only 232 seats in parliament to the opposition’s 228 on Thursday after the departure of Jacek Zalek from the governing Civic Platform party, the third lawmaker to quit in just over three weeks.
Russia says there is still a chance for peace in Syria
ASTANA (Reuters) – There is still a chance for peace in Syria and the world must not let it pass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday as he prepared for talks with the United States on a plan to secure Syria’s chemical weapons.
France says West must not be fooled by proposed Syria deal
PARIS (Reuters) – France said on Thursday it would be clear next week whether a Russian proposal to control Syria’s chemical weapons was credible, but warned of a risk of being fooled if Western allies do not stick to their demands.
Somali militants kill prominent U.S. jihadist: witnesses
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – A prominent U.S.-born Islamist militant was killed in Somalia on Thursday after he fell out with senior commanders of the al Shabaab rebel group, witnesses said.
NSA passes unsifted intelligence to Israel: British paper
LONDON (Reuters) – The U.S. National Security Agency routinely passes raw intelligence to Israel without first removing details about U.S. citizens, Britain’s Guardian newspaper said on Thursday, citing documents obtained by former NSA contractor Edwar…
Turkey’s Erdogan says Assad buying time on chemical weapons
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he was doubtful that President Bashar al-Assad would fulfill his pledge to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, and said he was buying time for new “massac…
Feared Taliban former No 2 may now hold key to Afghan peace
KABUL/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Once a ruthless fighter and a friend of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, Abdul Ghani Baradar may now hold the key to Afghanistan’s peace – or so his minders believe.
U.S. envoy for North Korea: reactor restart serious matter, if true
TOKYO (Reuters) – The U.S. special envoy for North Korea said on Thursday the reported restart of a research reactor at North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex would be a serious matter if true.
China to protect online whistleblowers, but only via official site
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s government will protect from retribution and attacks people who use the internet to report corruption, but only those who use an officially sanctioned website to do so, a senior official said on Thursday.
North Korea reactor situation not ‘clear’: U.N. nuclear chief
VIENNA (Reuters) – The U.N. nuclear watchdog is aware of reports that North Korea may have restarted a reactor capable of producing plutonium for weapons, but does not yet have a “clear understanding” of the situation there, its chief said on Thursday….




