Obama speaks with Palestinians’ Abbas, Israel’s Netanyahu
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama spoke separately by phone on Thursday to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said, as the United States seeks to keep up the momentum for peace…
Rockets land near Lebanese presidential palace; no injuries reported
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Two rockets landed in an area east of Beirut late on Thursday close to a military compound and Lebanon’s presidential palace, security sources said.
Egypt’s rulers tell pro-Mursi protesters to quit camps
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s army-backed government warned supporters of deposed President Mohamed Mursi on Thursday to abandon their Cairo protest camps, promising them a safe exit if they gave up without a fight.
Obama rethinks Putin summit after Snowden granted asylum
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama is rethinking whether to hold a summit in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin next month after Russia rejected U.S. pleas and gave temporary asylum to former American spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, …
Italy supreme court upholds Berlusconi jail sentence
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s supreme court on Thursday upheld a jail sentence against Silvio Berlusconi for tax fraud in a devastating blow to the four-times prime minister that could throw the country’s fragile coalition government into crisis.
Tsvangirai denounces Zimbabwe vote as ‘huge farce’
HARARE (Reuters) – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai dismissed Zimbabwe’s election as a farce on Thursday after his rival President Robert Mugabe’s party claimed a landslide victory that would secure another five years in power for Africa’s oldest head …
Syria’s Assad says he certain to defeat rebels
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday he was confident of victory against rebels and made a symbolic visit to a town once overrun by insurgents and now mostly retaken by his army.
Kerry hopes Pakistan drone strikes to end ‘very soon’
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Pakistanis on Thursday he hoped U.S. drone strikes in their nation would end “very, very soon,” a message meant to ease anti-American resentment in the strategic country.
Snowden will ‘build a new life in Russia’: lawyer
MOSCOW (Reuters) – U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden will publish no more leaks but instead look to build a life in Russia where he has been granted a year-long asylum, his lawyer said on Thursday.
Berlusconi says tax fraud sentence completely unfounded
ROME (Reuters) – Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said a prison sentence against him for tax fraud confirmed by the country’s supreme court on Thursday was completely unfounded and that he would push for reforms of the justice system.
