Yemen launches assaults on al Qaeda, several killed

Yemen launches assaults on al Qaeda, several killed
U.S. renews Iran sanctions waivers for China and India
NATO faults Russia over South Ossetia fence, also chides Georgia
Indigenous Brazilians use web to fight for rights
Egypt prosecutor orders trial for leading activists
Hollande wins Unesco peace prize
US knives-on-planes policy cancelled
Malian army fights Tuareg rebels, unofficial truce over
North Korean defector's "impossible" dream of closing prison camps
In Besieged Sunni Town of Qusayr, Sunnis Are Bitter
Bosnia strikes temporary deal to allow registration of babies
Assad troops triumphant on conquered town's deserted streets
Libya to move four state companies to Benghazi
World 'must act' over Syria weapons
Iranians hold rare political protest at cleric's funeral : videos
Israeli judge resigns after rape comments
Nigerian court charges four Lebanese with Hezbollah link
What do Susan Rice and Samantha Power promotions mean for Syria policy? Probably not much
VIDEO: Fossil could be 'ancestor of humanity'
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Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:55 PM PDT

ADEN (Reuters) - At least 11 people were killed in Yemeni army operations against al Qaeda-linked militants on Wednesday, including an offensive in eastern Yemen, where fighters had declared their aim to set up an Islamist state.

U.S. renews Iran sanctions waivers for China and India

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:49 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department on Wednesday renewed 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions for China, India and seven other economies in exchange for their reducing purchases of oil from Iran.

NATO faults Russia over South Ossetia fence, also chides Georgia

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:45 PM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday it was unacceptable for Russian forces to put up a fence on the border of Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, believing it could further inflame tensions in the region.

Indigenous Brazilians use web to fight for rights

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:36 PM PDT

How indigenous Brazilians spread the word of protest

Egypt prosecutor orders trial for leading activists

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:23 PM PDT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's public prosecutor referred a group of 12 political activists to trial on Wednesday on charges of inciting violence near the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in March, the state news agency reported.

Hollande wins Unesco peace prize

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:05 PM PDT

France's President Francois Hollande receives a major prize from the UN's cultural organisation for his decision to send troops to Mali in January.

US knives-on-planes policy cancelled

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:26 PM PDT

The US transport safety authority cancels a proposal to allow some small pocket knives aboard US flights for the first time since the 9/11 attacks.

Malian army fights Tuareg rebels, unofficial truce over

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:13 PM PDT

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Government troops seized a village in northern Mali after heavy fighting with Tuareg separatists on Wednesday and advanced towards the town of Kidal, the rebels' last stronghold, the army said.

North Korean defector's "impossible" dream of closing prison camps

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:25 PM PDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - North Korea's best-known defector, Shin Dong-hyuk, dreams of making the "impossible" happen one day - ridding his secretive homeland of the kind of brutal prison camps he says he was born and raised in before a dramatic escape in 2005.

In Besieged Sunni Town of Qusayr, Sunnis Are Bitter

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:28 AM PDT

As Hezbollah guerrillas from Lebanon and Syrian troops fought for Qusayr, many Sunnis declared the social fabric had been destroyed.

Bosnia strikes temporary deal to allow registration of babies

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:52 AM PDT

SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Bosnia's government agreed to temporarily allow the registration of newborn babies on Wednesday, following a protest by young parents angry over the latest example of political paralysis in the troubled Balkan country.

Assad troops triumphant on conquered town's deserted streets

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:50 AM PDT

QUSAIR, Syria (Reuters) - Apart from a bullet-scarred clock tower that somehow survived the battle, few buildings still stood on Wednesday in the ruined streets of the former rebel stronghold of Qusair, seized hours earlier by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Libya to move four state companies to Benghazi

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:39 AM PDT

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya said on Wednesday the headquarters of three more state firms as well as the state energy corporation would move from Tripoli to the eastern city of Benghazi, in a measure intended to devolve more authority to the oil-rich region.

World 'must act' over Syria weapons

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:23 PM PDT

Growing proof of chemical weapons use by Syrian forces "obliges the international community to act", French President Francois Hollande says.

Iranians hold rare political protest at cleric's funeral : videos

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:37 AM PDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - A funeral for a dissident Iranian cleric turned into a rare anti-government protest, videos posted online showed, with thousands of mourners chanting for the release of detained opposition leaders.

Israeli judge resigns after rape comments

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:34 AM PDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli judge resigned from a government appeals board on Wednesday after public uproar over reports he had told a courtroom that some girls "enjoy rape".

Nigerian court charges four Lebanese with Hezbollah link

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:12 AM PDT

ABUJA (Reuters) - A Nigerian court charged four Lebanese men suspected of having links to the Islamist militant group Hezbollah with terrorism and possession of illegal arms on Wednesday, after authorities said they found heavy weapons in one of their homes.

What do Susan Rice and Samantha Power promotions mean for Syria policy? Probably not much

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 10:30 AM PDT

The White House has announced that two foreign policy officials famous for their advocacy of liberal interventionism are getting big new appointments: Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will take over as national security adviser, a powerful position that allows her to shape much of U.S. foreign policy from within the White House. Samantha Power, a former academic and journalist best known for her coverage of the Rwandan genocide and Balkan conflicts, is nominated to replace Rice at the United Nations.

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