WORLD HEADLINES

Kenya demands U.N. removes massive Somali refugee camp

Kenya has given the United Nations three months to remove a camp housing more than half a million Somali refugees, as part of a get-tough response to the killing of 148 people by Somali gunmen at a Kenyan university. Kenya has in the past accused Islamist militants of hiding out in Dadaab camp which it now wants the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR to move across the border to inside Somalia.

Obama, Castro to share stage at summit as detente takes hold

By Daniel Trotta PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro will share the same stage on Friday in an encounter rich with symbolism as their countries set aside decades of mistrust and attempt to restore diplomatic relations. Obama and Castro have separate agendas for most of the day but they will both attend the start of the summit along with other regional leaders on

Islamic State attacks Iraqi provincial capital

Islamic State militants attacked the capital of Iraq’s vast Anbar province on multiple fronts on Friday, seizing two areas on the city outskirts in a setback for a government campaign to retake the desert terrain. The jihadists deployed vehicle and suicide bombs to tear through Iraqi government lines north of the city of Ramadi overnight before attacking on foot, said security officials and a hospital source. The head of Anbar’s

Pakistan declines Saudi call for armed support in Yemen fight

By Mohammad Mukashaf ADEN (Reuters) – Pakistan’s parliament voted on Friday not to join the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, dashing Riyadh’s hopes for powerful support from outside of the region in its fight to halt Iranian-allied Houthi rebels. Saudi Arabia had asked fellow Sunni-majority Pakistan to provide ships, aircraft and troops for the campaign, now in its third week, to stem the influence of Shi’ite Iran in what appears

Iran deal could stumble on sensitive nuclear monitoring

By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Beefing up international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear work could become the biggest stumbling block to a final accord between Tehran and major powers, despite a preliminary deal reached last week. As part of that deal, Iran and the powers agreed that United Nations inspectors would have “enhanced” access to remaining nuclear activity in Iran, where they already monitor key sites. Iran says its

More austere, accommodating Rousseff paying off for Brazil

By embracing power-sharing deals and budget cuts that she shunned during her first term in office, President Dilma Rousseff has begun to ease the economic and political crisis plaguing Brazil, congressional leaders and economists say. Rousseff’s decision this week to hand formal responsibility for negotiating with Congress to Vice President Michel Temer, a leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), was a milestone that should help ease tensions with

Brazil police arrest three ex-Congressmen, broaden corruption probe

Brazilian police arrested three former congressmen on Friday, broadening their corruption investigation beyond state-run oil firm Petrobras to state lender Caixa Economica Federal and the federal health ministry. A federal judge in the southern city of Curitiba ordered the arrest of André Vargas, ex-congressman for the ruling Workers’ Party as well as Luiz Argolo and Pedro Corrêa, former lawmakers for the smaller opposition Party of Solidarity. Though none currently hold