Convoy departs British embassy in Moscow ahead of expulsion deadline
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A convoy of vehicles left the British Embassy in Moscow on Friday ahead of a Russian deadline for 23 diplomats to leave the country, a Reuters camera operator said.
Some charges to be dropped against Vatican treasurer Pell, court hears
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Some of the alleged historical sexual offense charges against Vatican treasurer George Pell will be dropped because one of his accusers is unfit to give evidence, an Australian court heard on Friday.
Exclusive: U.S. warship sails near disputed islands in South China Sea, officials say
WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) – A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a “freedom of navigation” operation on Friday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, U.S. officials told Reuters.
Fighting in Ghouta despite rebel ceasefire attempt: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Air strikes hit a rebel-held enclave of Syria’s eastern Ghouta region on Friday despite a ceasefire that the area’s controlling rebel group had said was agreed to come into force at midnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights s…
Zambia’s main opposition party seeks to impeach President Lungu
LUSAKA (Reuters) – Zambia’s main opposition party filed a motion on Thursday seeking the impeachment of President Edgar Lungu, accusing him of constitutional breaches, the presidency said on Friday.
Killings flare again in cockpit of Congo’s war
KYANGWALI, Uganda (Reuters) – Nguna Abooki was getting ready for bed on the evening of Feb. 1 when men with machetes and guns ambushed his village in eastern Congo, killing two of his children and three of his brothers.
Greenland’s courting of China for airport projects worries Denmark
COPENHAGEN/BEIJING (Reuters) – Greenland is courting Chinese investors and construction companies to help expand three airports, raising concern in the Danish government that Chinese involvement could upset its ally, the United States.
Kremlin says to cut defence budget to 3 percent of GDP by 2022: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia will cut its defence budget to less than 3 percent of gross domestic product within the next five years, RIA news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Friday.
Mexican leftist extends lead in presidential race: poll
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican leftist presidential contender Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has stretched his lead over rivals ahead of a July 1 election, a new voter survey by polling firm Mitofsky showed late on Thursday.
Vietnam scraps South China Sea oil drilling project under pressure from Beijing: BBC
HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam’s state oil firm PetroVietnam has ordered Spanish energy firm Repsol to suspend its “Red Emperor” project off the country’s southeastern coast following pressure from China, the BBC reported on Friday.
