Today's Top World News Story
Syria announces new offensive, diplomats fail to renew truce
BEIRUT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Syria announced a new offensive against rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Thursday while diplomats failed to find a way in New York to revive a U.S. and Russian-brokered ceasefire that collapsed this week. Learn More
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Iraqi army says it recaptured key town south of Mosul
TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces backed by air strikes from the U.S.-led coalition gained complete control of the northern district of Shirqat on Thursday, bringing the military a step closer to a main push on Mosul later this year. More »
South Korea says time to reconsider North Korea's U.N. membership
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se accused North Korea on Thursday of "totally ridiculing" the authority of the United Nations through its nuclear and missile tests and said it was time to reconsider whether it was qualified for U.N. membership. More »
Palestinians' Abbas seeks British apology for 1917 Jewish homeland declaration
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Britain should apologize for its 1917 declaration endorsing the founding of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and should recognize Palestine as a state, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday. More »
Taiwan asks Google to blur images showing new South China Sea facilities
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it was asking Google to blur satellite images showing what experts say appear to be new military installations on Itu Aba, Taipei's sole holding in the hotly disputed South China Sea. More »
Canada, China agree to tighten trade ties, mull extradition pact
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada and China on Thursday settled a trade dispute and said they would start exploratory talks on a free trade pact, but gave few details about a possible extradition treaty for Chinese fugitives which has triggered criticism in Canada. More »
Japan PM raises North Korea nuclear program with Cuba's Fidel Castro
HAVANA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first Japanese leader to visit Communist-ruled Cuba, called for a strong and unified international response to North Korea's nuclear program in rare talks with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Thursday, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said. More »
Brazil police arrest former finance minister in Petrobras probe
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian police arrested former Finance Minister Guido Mantega on Thursday as a sweeping corruption investigation struck further at the heart of the Workers Party (PT) that ran the country for 13 years. More »
Syria toxic gas inquiry report delayed; France, Britain urge U.N. action
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council has given an international inquiry five more weeks to complete its report on who is to blame for toxic gas attacks in Syria as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, France, Britain and others push for those responsible to be punished. More »
Nicaragua rejects U.S. bill for loans with strings attached
MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaragua on Thursday criticized a proposal by U.S. lawmakers that would require the Central American country, which will hold elections in November, to make political changes in order to receive international loans. More »
