Obama starts long awaited Africa tour at slave port
DAKAR, Senegal (Reuters) – Almost four centuries after Africans started being shipped to North America as slaves, the first U.S. president of African ancestry will on Thursday visit an infamous embarkation point for those destined for lives in chains.
India begins mass cremation of flood victims, many missing
NEW DELHI, June 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – India began the mass cremation of bodies recovered after devastating floods in the country’s northern Himalayan region, government officials said on Thursday, adding that hundreds of people were still m…
Mali coup leader apologizes for ‘mistakes’
BAMAKO (Reuters) – The Malian army captain who led a coup last year that plunged the West African nation into crisis and allowed al Qaeda-linked fighters to seize half the country has apologized to the nation for his actions.
No sign of cyber leaker Snowden on flight to Cuba
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian passenger plane left Moscow for Havana on Thursday without any sign of former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden on board, witnesses said.
China, South Korea push for North Korea talks
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s president welcomed his South Korean counterpart on Thursday as an “old friend of China” and agreed to make a push for new talks with North Korea on Thursday as two of Asia’s newest leaders met for the first time.
Envoy says U.S. loses trust in Hong Kong after Snowden
HONG KONG (Reuters) – The top U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong warned on Thursday of a “big struggle” ahead to repair Washington’s trust in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory after the flight of fugitive spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Rights group says Egypt’s Brotherhood incites sectarian hatred
CAIRO (Reuters) – Human Rights Watch accused Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday of inciting religious hatred that led to the lynching of four Shi’ite Muslims in Cairo this week.
South Korea’s Park, China’s Xi agree on denuclearizing North Korea: Blue House
BEIJING (Reuters) – The leaders of South Korea and China agreed at a summit on Thursday on the need to end North Korea’s nuclear program through dialogue and discussed ways to resume negotiations with Pyongyang, South Korea’s presidential office said.
U.N. chemical weapons team in Turkey to investigate Syria claims
AMSTERDAM/ANKARA (Reuters) – U.N.-appointed inspectors, blocked from entering Syria, are in Turkey to gather information about possible use of chemical weapons in the civil war, officials said on Thursday.
Polish PM faces challenge for party leadership: report
WARSAW (Reuters) – A former Polish justice minister will challenge Prime Minister Donald Tusk for leadership of their party in an internal election later this year, broadcaster TVN24 reported on Thursday.
