Germans frown on finger gesture by Merkel’s election rival
BERLIN (Reuters) – In a country where flashing the middle finger can cost motorists a heavy fine and ended one soccer star’s international career, Peer Steinbrueck may have hurt his slim chances of becoming Germany’s next chancellor by showing the “Sti…
Egypt pursues crackdown on Sinai militants as protests held
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian ground troops and helicopter gunships attacked Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula on Friday in their drive to stem a security threat now spilling over into the rest of the country.
Burundi opens probe over killings of Congo Tutsi refugees
BUJUMBURA (Reuters) – Burundi has opened an investigation into claims that a former ethnic Hutu rebel leader ordered the massacre of Congolese refugees in an attack almost a decade ago, its prosecutor’s office said on Friday.
Iran’s Rouhani says wants nuclear issue resolved, but draws lines
BISHKEK (Reuters) – Iran wants to end the stand-off with global powers over its nuclear program swiftly but will not sacrifice its rights or interests for the sake of a solution, President Hassan Rouhani said on Friday.
Belarus court keeps Russian potash chief in detention
MINSK (Reuters) – A court in Belarus rejected a second appeal by the chief executive of Russian potash producer Uralkali, keeping him in detention pending investigation into alleged abuse of power despite calls from Russia for his release.
As potential crisis looms, Italians want Berlusconi to go: poll
ROME (Reuters) – Nearly three-quarters of Italians think ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi should be barred from the Senate after a conviction for tax fraud, and a majority want to avert a government crisis over the issue, according to a poll publish…
U.S., Israel press Syria over nuclear stonewalling
VIENNA (Reuters) – With international attention focused on Syria’s tentative offer to give up its chemical arsenal, the United States and Israel used a U.N. nuclear agency meeting to press Damascus to also open up to an inquiry into its atomic activiti…
Yemen to punish those responsible for child bride death: aide
SANAA (Reuters) – Yemeni authorities are investigating the death of an eight-year-old girl from internal bleeding on her wedding night and will prosecute those responsible, the government said on Friday, a case that has rekindled international outrage …
Kerry to travel to Israel, meet Israeli PM Netanyahu
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Jerusalem on Sunday to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Middle East Peace talks as well as Syria, the State Department announced on Friday.
Kerry, Lavrov hope Syria chemical talks will revive peace conference
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday they hoped that talks on Syria’s chemical weapons would help revive an international plan for a “Geneva 2” conference to end the war in Syri…
