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Greek ruling party heads toward split before bailout vote

By George Georgiopoulos and David Stamp ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s ruling Syriza party edged toward a formal split on Thursday, hours before rebel leftist lawmakers plan to vote against a new bailout deal to keep the country afloat. With opposition support, the government is asking parliament to approve a 85 billion euro bailout deal that Greece needs to avoid defaulting on a debt repayment next week. The vote, expected in

Decades of skullduggery on both sides at U.S. embassy in Cuba

By Daniel Trotta HAVANA (Reuters) – The seven-story building on Havana’s famed “Malecon” seafront has for decades been a flashpoint in the Cold War’s most enduring rivalry. Spy games and dirty tricks have been directed by and against the U.S. officials working inside the beige structure, which is nondescript architecturally but among the most famous in Havana. Cuba’s Communist government regularly organized protests outside and once tried to seize the

Britain says to protest to Ecuador over Assange asylum

Britain said on Thursday it would make a formal protest to Ecuador over its decision to provide asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in its London embassy and so prevent his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes. “Ecuador must recognize that its decision to harbor Mr Assange more than three years ago has prevented the proper course of justice,” British Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said in a statement.

Greek island bears brunt as people-smugglers take Turkish route

By Lefteris Karagiannopoulos KOS, Greece (Reuters) – Michel Allatuain waited beneath the 14th century fortress at the port of this Greek island on Thursday, desperate for a ferry ticket to the European mainland and a better life. The 30-year-old pharmaceutical firm employee from Aleppo, Syria, has been sleeping rough in Kos since he paid 2,000 euros to cross from the Turkish coastal city of Bodrum last week. One example: traffickers

Al Qaeda leader Zawahiri pledges allegiance to new Taliban chief: websites

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, in an online audio message, pledged allegiance to the new head of the Afghan Taliban in a move that could bolster his accession after the death of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. “We pledge our allegiance … (to the) commander of the faithful, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, may God protect him,” said Ayman al-Zawahiri, believed to be hiding in a border area between Afghanistan and

Greek lawmakers debate third bailout deal

Greek lawmakers were preparing to vote Thursday on the terms of the country’s third international bailout since 2010, which have split the ruling radical left Syriza party and met with a wary response in Berlin. The vote comes a day before eurozone finance ministers meet to issue their verdict on the draft deal reached by Athens and its creditors after weeks of negotiations — and despite Germany saying it needs