Russian lawmakers call off U.S. trip after Congress snub
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russian lawmakers have canceled plans to travel to the United States to discuss the crisis in Syria with their U.S. counterparts after congressional leaders refused to see them, the Russian ambassador to Washington said on Friday…
France seeks EU backing for Syria stance but meets scepticism
VILNIUS (Reuters) – France, which backs military action to punish Syria for a deadly chemical weapons attack, tried to rally support from its European Union partners on Friday but met scepticism from governments wary of turning their backs on the Unite…
Congo says to return to negotiations with rebels on Monday
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo said on Friday it would return to negotiations with eastern rebels next week after regional leaders set a two-week deadline for peace talks to end an 18-month-old rebellion.
River Thames crossing closed in UK security incident
LONDON (Reuters) – Police shut a major bridge and tunnel across the River Thames near London on Friday after arresting a man acting “unusually” and finding a suspicious item.
Syria edges ex-contractor Snowden out of Putin, Obama talk
WASHINGTON/ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama did not discuss Edward Snowden during their talks on Friday, despite the United States’ pending extradition request for the former spy agency…
Baghdad, Big Oil on alert for retaliation to a Syria strike
ARBIL, Iraq/LONDON (Reuters) – Baghdad and foreign oil companies at work in Iraq’s giant oilfields are adopting extra security measures in anticipation of retaliatory attacks if the United States strikes neighboring Syria, industry sources said on Frid…
Putin says Belarus potash dispute needs to be resolved
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday it was necessary to resolve a potash dispute with Belarus, which led to the arrest of the boss of producer Uralkali, but said it was important to avoid escalating the pr…
U.S. spy agencies decry latest Snowden revelations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. spy agencies said on Friday that the latest media revelations based on leaks from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden will likely damage U.S. and allied intelligence efforts.
Clashes flare at pro-Mursi marches across Egypt, two dead
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt/CAIRO (Reuters) – Two people were killed in skirmishes as supporters of deposed president Mohamed Mursi thronged Egypt’s cities and towns on Friday for the third time in eight days, trying to rattle an army-backed government bent on c…
Iranian New Year greetings leave Israelis perplexed, pleased
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israelis reacted with a mixture of pleasant surprise and wary skepticism on Friday to reports that the new Iranian president and his foreign minister had both issued greetings to mark the Jewish New Year.
