Sri Lanka shops, mosque damaged in Buddhist-Muslim clash
COLOMBO (Reuters) – At least five people were wounded and several shops and a mosque damaged in a clash between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka, police said on Tuesday.
South Korea says sanctions do not aim to bring down North Korea
GENEVA (Reuters) – Sanctions on North Korea aim to pressure it to abandon its nuclear ambitions, not to “bring down” the country, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told the U.N. Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday.
Exclusive: Chemical weapons watchdog investigates Ghouta attacks – sources
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The world’s chemical weapons watchdog opened an investigation on Sunday into attacks in the besieged, rebel-held Syrian region of eastern Ghouta to determine whether banned munitions had been used, diplomatic sources told Reuters….
Uneasy calm in Syria’s Ghouta as Russian-backed truce begins
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian rebel-held eastern Ghouta region was mostly calm as a five-hour ceasefire called by Russia took effect on Tuesday, a war monitor and witnesses said, pausing a government onslaught that has killed hundreds of people since F…
Scotland says won’t consent to Brexit bill after latest UK offer
EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Scotland’s first minister said on Tuesday that the devolved Scottish parliament would not consent to legislation necessary to keep Britain’s Brexit plans on track, presenting another thorny issue for the government to surmount.
Poland more open to discuss EU concerns: German EU minister
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Warsaw has recently indicated a willingness to talk to its European Union partners about concerns over the rule of law in Poland, but it needs to back up words with action, Germany’s EU minister said on Tuesday.
South Korean prosecutors seek 30 years’ jail for ousted Park as supporters demand her release
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 30-year jail term for former President Park Geun-hye who was ousted last year amid an influence-peddling scandal as supporters braved the winter cold outside the Seoul court demanding her i…
Russia-backed truce begins in Syria’s Ghouta
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A five-hour truce called by Russia started on Tuesday in the Syrian rebel-held eastern Ghouta near Damascus with the stated aim of allowing people to escape the area which is being targeted in a fierce offensive by the Moscow-backed …
Greek economy minister quits after wife caught in benefit row
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s Economy and Development Minister Dimitri Papadimitriou has resigned, an aide said on Tuesday, a day after his wife, a deputy labour minister, also quit in a row over a housing allowance.
China defends controversial detention measure of new anti-graft ministry
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Tuesday defended a controversial detention measure set to become law when a new anti-corruption “super-ministry” is formally set up next month, calling it a unique step necessary to combat graft.
