Cyprus leaders seek deal in ‘historic opportunity’ for peace
GENEVA (Reuters) – The leaders of both sides of ethnically divided Cyprus began new unification talks on Monday but sought to temper hopes of a swift breakthrough, though its U.N. envoy said a deal to resolve one of Europe’s most enduring conflicts was…
Cruz meeting with Taiwan president has ‘no bearing’ on U.S. China policy: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A weekend meeting between Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, has no bearing on U.S. policy on China, the White House said on Monday.
Austria police investigate Afghans over New Year’s sexual assaults
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrian police are investigating six Afghan refugees over sexual attacks on 18 women during New Year’s Eve celebrations in the western province of Tyrol, a police officer involved with the case said on Monday.
Liberals rebuff Italy’s 5-Star request to join them in EU parliament
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The group of Liberals in the European Parliament rebuffed a request from Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement to join them after they split with the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), the Liberals’ leader said on Monday.
Pakistan counts transgender people in national census for first time
LAHORE, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Pakistan will count transgender people in its national census for the first time when it surveys its population in March this year following a top court ruling on Monday.
German government says closely examining reports of Russian fake news campaigns
BERLIN (Reuters) – German government officials on Monday said they were carefully examining an unprecedented proliferation of fake news items amid intelligence agency reports of Russian efforts to influence the country’s parliamentary election in Septe…
Hard Brexit is not inevitable, says British PM May
LONDON (Reuters) – A clean break with the EU’s single market is not inevitable, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday, seeking to clarify comments that pushed down the pound on the possibility of a hard Brexit from the European Union.
Chinese state tabloid warns Trump, end one China policy and China will take revenge
SHANGHAI/TAIPEI (Reuters) – State-run Chinese tabloid Global Times warned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that China would “take revenge” if he reneged on the one-China policy, only hours after Taiwan’s president made a controversial stopover in Hous…
Northern Ireland’s McGuinness to resign over political crisis
BELFAST (Reuters) – Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister McGuinness will resign from his post in protest against his power-sharing government partners’ handling of a controversial energy scheme, McGuinness said on Monday.
Indian slum dwellers pushed to city fringes face leaking pipes, lost jobs
CHENNAI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A commercial painter by trade, K. Raja dreamed of setting up his own business in Surya Nagar slum, in the southern Indian city of Chennai, where he had lived all his life.
