Syrian Kurdish leader says Assad not to blame for attack
BERLIN (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not be “so stupid” as to use chemical weapons close to Damascus, the leader of the country’s largest Kurdish group said.
Indian parliament approves $20 billion cheap grain plan for poor
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s lower house of parliament approved a plan worth nearly $20 billion on Monday to provide cheap grain to the poor, a key part of the ruling Congress party’s strategy to win re-election.
Nigerian Islamists kill 14 vigilantes in Bama raid
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigerian Islamists killed 14 pro-government youth vigilantes in an attack on the northeastern town of Bama, a local official who attended a mass funeral for the victims said on Monday.
Syria rebels seize strategic town, kill dozens of Assad fighters
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Rebel forces took control of a strategic town in northern Syria on Monday, killing more than 50 pro-government fighters and cutting off government forces’ only supply route out of the city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human …
Israelis line up for gas masks over Syria war fears
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Thousands of Israelis are lining up for gas masks or ordering them by phone, spurred on by fears that any Western military response to last week’s alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria could ensnare their own country in war.
South Sudan passes oil bill, waits president’s approval
JUBA (Reuters) – South Sudan’s parliament has passed a long-awaited petroleum bill after years of consultation and waits for final approval by President Salva Kiir, a senior lawmaker said on Monday.
Backers of Madagascar’s deposed leader to name new candidate
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – Backers of the deposed president of Madagascar said on Monday they would name a new candidate to run in a delayed presidential election after his wife was barred from the race.
Chemical experts can gather Syria evidence despite time lapse: U.N.
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Monday it was still possible for a U.N. team of chemical weapons experts to gather evidence necessary to investigate last week’s alleged gas attack in suburbs east of Damascus, despite the lapse of …
India’s Sonia Gandhi unwell, taken to hospital: TV
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, widely seen as the country’s most powerful politician, was led out of parliament on Monday by her son and colleagues after she felt unwell, television channels said.
French government commissions 10-year action plan for reforms
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s Socialist government has commissioned experts to produce a 10-year gameplan for overhauling areas such as public spending and education in keeping with its strategy of pursuing gentle, incremental reforms.
