Israel to free Palestinian prisoners for peace talks: minister
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel has agreed to a long-standing Palestinian demand to release Palestinian prisoners in order to resume peace talks, but will not yield on other central issues, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Saturday.
Six held over violence in France after police check veiled woman
PARIS (Reuters) – Six people were arrested after overnight violence that erupted in a Paris suburb after police checked the identity of a woman wearing a Muslim veil, French authorities said on Saturday.
Syria war widens rift between Shi’ite clergy in Iraq, Iran
NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) – The civil war in Syria is widening a rift between top Shi’ite Muslim clergy in Iraq and Iran who have taken opposing stands on whether or not to send followers into combat on President Bashar al-Assad’s side.
Five people sentenced to jail for Costa Concordia disaster
ROME (Reuters) – Four Costa Concordia crew members and a company official were sentenced to jail in Italy on Saturday for their part in the 2012 cruise ship disaster that killed 32 people, leaving only Captain Francesco Schettino still on trial.
China detains six over death of watermelon vendor: report
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese police have detained six security officials involved in a spat that led to the death of a watermelon vendor and sparked online fury over perceived abuses of power by city patrols.
Egypt has no intention of waging Syria ‘jihad’: minister
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt has no intention of a waging a holy war against Syria, but still supports the Syrian peoples’ desire for freedom, new Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said on Saturday.
Kerry says Israel, Palestinians lay groundwork for peace talks
AMMAN (Reuters) – Israel and the Palestinians have laid the groundwork for resuming peace talks after an almost three-year stalemate, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday, although he cautioned the deal was not final and required more dipl…
Colombia’s FARC says holding U.S. soldier, willing to release
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s FARC rebels said late on Friday they were holding a U.S. soldier captured on June 20, but were willing to release him to a humanitarian commission as they pursue peace talks with the government.
Taliban-style edict for women spreads alarm in Afghan district
KABUL/DEH SALAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) – One of Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s main religious advisers will not overturn a decree issued by clerics in the north reimposing Taliban-style curbs on women, in another sign of returning conservatism as NATO…
Saudi suspect in underwear bomb plots trained others, U.S. says
ASPEN, Colo. (Reuters) – The United States believes the Saudi man suspected of designing underwear bombs for al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate has trained a small number of people on his advanced bomb-making techniques, a senior U.S. official said on Friday….
