Aftershocks rattle Taiwan as quake toll rises to nine, 62 missing
HUALIEN, Taiwan (Reuters) – Aftershocks hampered rescue efforts on Thursday as emergency personnel combed through collapsed buildings in search of survivors after a powerful earthquake killed at least nine people near Taiwan’s popular tourist city of H…
North Korea says no plans to meet U.S. officials at Olympics; Washington seeks more sanctions
SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) – North Korea has no intention of meeting U.S officials during the Winter Olympics that start in South Korea on Friday, state media reported, dampening hopes the Games will help resolve a tense standoff over the North’s nuc…
Venezuela sets presidential vote for April 22 after talks crumble
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela on Wednesday set a presidential election for April 22 after mediation talks between the leftist government and an opposition coalition collapsed, setting the stage for the likely re-election of President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump task force on expanding Cuba internet meets for first time
WASHINGTON/HAVANA (Reuters) – A U.S. task force ordered by President Donald Trump agreed on Wednesday to spend the next year examining ways to expand internet access and the free flow of information in Communist-run Cuba.
U.S. strikes pro-Syrian forces after ‘unprovoked attack’ on partners’ base
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. aircraft carried out rare, retaliatory strikes in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province on Wednesday against forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after they attacked U.S.-backed fighters’ headquarters there, U.S. official…
Ahead of Olympics face-off, Pence vows new North Korea sanctions
SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence vowed tough new sanctions against North Korea and called it the world’s most tyrannical regime on Wednesday, two days before he is due to attend the winter Olympics, along with two of the North’s m…
Venezuela mediation talks collapse in disagreement over election conditions
CARACAS (Reuters) – Mediation talks between Venezuela’s government and an opposition coalition collapsed because they failed to agree on conditions for a presidential election, the host of the meetings, Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, said …
Human smugglers in Libya have links to security services: U.N. report
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Most armed groups involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Libya have links to the country’s official security institutions, sanctions experts said in a confidential report to a U.N. Security Council committee seen by R…
George Soros donated money to campaign for a rerun of Britain’s EU referendum
LONDON (Reuters) – George Soros, the billionaire who earned fame by betting against the British pound in 1992, contributed 400,000 pounds ($554,840) through his foundations to a campaign group which is seeking to halt Brexit, the group’s chairman said …
U.S. closer to decision on sanctioning Venezuela oil: Tillerson
KINGSTON (Reuters) – The United States is closer to deciding whether to impose sanctions on Venezuelan oil, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday, at the end of a five-nation tour of Latin America where he discussed the move with regi…
