Blast kills four in Old City of Damascus
BEIRUT (Reuters) – An explosion struck the Christian Bab Touma district in the Old City of Damascus on Thursday in what Syrian state television said was a suicide bombing. Opposition sources said it was a mortar attack.
U.N. council brings Iraq closer to end of 1990s sanctions
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council brought Iraq one step closer on Thursday to ending United Nations sanctions imposed on Baghdad more than two decades ago after former President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait In 1990.
Libya defense minister removed after Tripoli clashes
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s defense minister will be removed from his post following fierce clashes between rival armed militias in the capital Tripoli in which 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said on Thursday…
Swiss to press U.S. further on Snowden’s time in Geneva
GENEVA (Reuters) – Switzerland wants to hold further talks with Washington on fugitive Edward Snowden’s activities as a CIA operative in Geneva after receiving only a “diplomatic” reply to its initial questions, the Swiss foreign minister said on Thurs…
Chile police evict protesters from schools before Sunday vote
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean police on Thursday evicted student protesters from 21 Santiago schools that will be used as polling stations for weekend primary elections, a day after a massive march for education reform in the capital.
Protesters fight police as Kosovo approves Serbia deal
PRISTINA (Reuters) – Kosovo’s parliament approved an EU-brokered agreement on creating normal ties with neighboring Serbia on Thursday as protesters opposing the deal clashed with riot police in Pristina.
Portuguese anti-austerity strike hits mostly transport
LISBON (Reuters) – Portuguese unions halted public transport on Thursday in a peaceful one-day strike against austerity measures which have led to the worst economic slump since the 1970s and sent unemployment to record levels.
Obama says shouldn’t have to talk to Xi, Putin about Snowden
DAKAR (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had not yet spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping or Russian President Vladimir Putin about the U.S. request to extradite former American spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Indonesia says building criminal cases against 8 firms over fires
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian investigators are building criminal cases against eight Southeast Asian companies they suspect of being responsible for raging fires that have blanketed neighboring Singapore and Malaysia with hazardous smog.
China accuses U.S. of cyber security hypocrisy amid Snowden dispute
BEIJING (Reuters) – China accused the United States on Thursday of “double standards” and hypocrisy in the area of cyber security as tension flared between Beijing and Washington over the flight of fugitive former spy agency contractor Edward Snowden.
