Reuters: World News

Hopes fade for those still trapped in Freeport Indonesia mine

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:09:21 GMT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc said on Saturday that rockfalls were hampering rescue efforts after a tunnel collapse four days ago at its giant Indonesian copper mine, with hopes fading of finding alive any of the 23 still missing.

U.S. chides Russia over missiles as peace plans suffer

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:06:01 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States chided Russia for sending missiles to the Syrian government as plans for a peace conference promoted by Washington and Moscow were hit by diplomatic rifts over its scope and purpose.

Venezuela frees opposition activist jailed over post-vote violence

Sat, 18 May 2013 01:45:27 GMT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela on Friday released an opposition activist who had been jailed on accusations of inciting violence in the wake of President Nicolas Maduro's narrow election victory in April.

One dead, dozens wounded in sectarian clashes in Egypt

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:49:37 GMT

ALEXANDRIA (Reuters) - One person died and dozens were wounded during clashes between Muslims and Christians late Friday night outside a Coptic church in Egypt's second city, state newspaper al-Ahram reported, in the latest violent sectarian row in the Muslim-majority country.

Liberia's Johnson-Sirleaf defends governance record

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:08:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on Friday defended her government's record on good governance and transparency, following an independent audit that cast doubt on her anti-corruption efforts.

Police clash with youth in Cairo after anti-Mursi protest

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:57:27 GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces clashed with young men in central Cairo after a protest by several thousand opponents of President Mohamed Mursi, state news agency MENA reported.

U.S. chides Russia over missiles as peace plans suffer

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:18:11 GMT

Toronto mayor denies smoking crack cocaine

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:13:33 GMT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, a target of criticism for his often unconventional conduct, on Friday denied media allegations that he had been caught on video smoking crack cocaine.

OAS calls for softer approach toward illegal drug users

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:09:12 GMT

BOGOTA (Reuters) - The Organization of American States on Friday published a report calling for decriminalization of drug use and for greater coordination between nations in tackling the scourge.

Nigeria bombs Islamists, U.S. sounds alarm

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:55:19 GMT

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian warplanes struck militant camps in the northeast on Friday in a major push against an Islamist insurgency, drawing a sharp warning from the United States to respect human rights and not harm civilians.

Tunisia, hardline Islamists in standoff over Sunday gathering

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:07:25 GMT

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's government on Friday barred the radical Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia from staging a weekend rally in the central city of Kairouan, saying the organization, which openly supports al Qaeda, posed a "threat to public security."

UK inquest into ex-Russian spy's death may be scrapped

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:54:41 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's long-delayed inquest into the death by radioactive poisoning of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko could be abandoned after the coroner partly upheld a British government request to withhold crucial evidence.

British police identify new leads in Madeleine McCann case

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:41:42 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said on Friday they had identified people they want to question about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the three-year-old who went missing in Portugal six years ago.

Two blasts at Iraqi Sunni mosque kill 43

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:32:42 GMT

BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - Two bombs exploded outside a Sunni Muslim mosque in the Iraqi city of Baquba as worshippers left Friday prayers, killing at least 43 people in one of the deadliest attacks in a month-long surge in sectarian violence.

Crowds break up gay rights rallies in Georgia, Russia

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:28:30 GMT

TBILISI/ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Large crowds of anti-gay protesters broke up homosexual rights rallies in Georgia and Russia on Friday, underlining deep hostility in the former Soviet bloc.

Roadside bomb kills 19 in west Baghdad: police, medics

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:47:09 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Nineteen people were killed on Friday when a roadside bomb exploded near a commercial complex in the Amiriya district in the west of Baghdad, police and medics said.

Sudans defuse row over rebel support, promise more talks

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:37:36 GMT

JUBA (Reuters) - Sudan's foreign minister said on Friday neighbor South Sudan had promised him it would not let rebels operate across their shared border, defusing a row that had threatened a key oil deal.

Turkish PM says no decision yet on further Iran oil import cuts

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:50:28 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey had already significantly reduced its oil imports from Iran, which is under the choke of Western sanctions, and further cutbacks would depend on his country's energy needs.

Protesting Bulgarian drivers block truck traffic to Turkey

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:46:34 GMT

SOFIA (Reuters) - Disgruntled Bulgarian truck drivers blocked traffic at two major border checkpoints with neighboring Turkey on Friday to protest against what they said were Turkish restrictions to their operations.

U.N. chief appoints former Dutch minister to head Mali mission

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:44:56 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday appointed former Dutch development minister Albert Gerard Koenders as U.N. special envoy for Mali and head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the West African country.

Italy PM Letta seeks to smooth property tax standoff

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:10:41 GMT

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta promised a wide reform of property taxes on Friday, addressing one of the main issues dividing his coalition government, but gave no details on where he would find the billions of euros to pay for it.

Protesting Egyptian police block Gaza crossing

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:38:56 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Egyptian police blocked the crossing into the Gaza Strip on Friday in protest against the kidnapping of seven of their colleagues by Islamist gunmen, witnesses said.

Saudi Arabia says hackers sabotage government websites

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:36:19 GMT

RIYADH (Reuters) - Several government websites in Saudi Arabia were sabotaged in a series of heavy cyber attacks from abroad in recent days, disabling them briefly until the attacks were repelled, the government said.

Colombian president hints he will run for re-election in 2014

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:31:18 GMT

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hinted on Friday that he would seek re-election next year to ensure continuity of his policies - including peace talks with Marxist FARC rebels - though he did not explicitly announce his candidacy.

Analysis: Upgrade crowns Turkey's peaceful rise but pitfalls loom

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:29:54 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - Turkey's achievement of investment-grade status crowns a decade of rapid growth, financial stability and political reform by a "tiger" economy on the seam of Europe and Asia, but the rising power still faces pitfalls in a dangerous neighborhood.