Australia set to join U.N. Human Rights Council: report
(Reuters) – Australia looks set to fill one of two vacancies on the United Nations Human Rights Council following France’s withdrawal from the process, the Herald Sun newspaper said on Saturday, quoting remarks by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Venezuela prosecutor urges U.S. detainee’s conditional freedom
CARACAS (Reuters) – The Venezuelan state prosecutor’s office on Friday called for the conditional release of a U.S. citizen held on weapons charges for more than a year, citing delays in his trial.
Xi confidant and rising Chinese political star promoted
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Saturday named rising political star Chen Miner as Communist Party boss in southwestern Chongqing, cementing his reputation as a favorite of President Xi Jinping ahead of a leadership reshuffle at a key party congr…
Fire breaks out at Honolulu high-rise, injuries reported
(Reuters) – A fire broke out on Friday in a 36-story condominium tower in Honolulu, with media reporting that several people could be trapped in their homes, as firefighters battled the flames.
Chinese Nobel laureate’s ashes scattered at sea
SHENYANG, China (Reuters) – Deceased Chinese Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo’s ashes were scattered at sea on Saturday, Liu’s brother said, in a move described by a family friend as an effort to erase any memory of him.
Guatemala arrests 17 in graft probe, case mentions Slim unit
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Guatemalan police on Friday arrested 17 people on suspicion of involvement in a web of money laundering and illegal election financing, in an investigation that also has embroiled a local unit of Mexican billionaire Carlos Sl…
Peru’s ex-presidents Humala and Fujimori, old foes, share prison
LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s former left-leaning President Ollanta Humala, ordered to spend 18 months in pre-trial detention, was moved on Friday to a prison built for his longtime foe ex-autocratic leader Alberto Fujimori.
U.N. ends round of Syria talks with focus on fight against terrorism
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura put the emphasis on the international fight against terrorism on Friday as he wrapped up a round of Syria peace talks at which there was “no breakthrough, no breakdown and no one walking out”.
Turkish envoy urges U.S. to search cleric Gulen’s communications
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. authorities should search through any intercepted communications of Fethullah Gulen to seek evidence backing Turkey’s accusation that the U.S.-based Muslim cleric orchestrated last year’s failed coup, Turkey’s envoy to Washington said on Friday.
Cuba’s Castro rebuts Trump at national assembly
HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuban President Raul Castro on Friday denounced U.S. President Donald Trump’s partial rollback of the U.S.-Cuban detente, saying it ignored broad public support for better relations and would satisfy only a few Cuban-American hard-li…
